Twenty Years
by NoctusLegacy
Summary: Twenty years. It's been twenty years since Kagome disappeared. Now there is a young warrior-priest who travels the land with a youkai child. And..if one looked closely enough one could, perhaps, notice a certain similarity to the long lost Miko, but that's absurd, right? Rated M for later chapters! You're warned!
1. Twenty years

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

~~~O~~~

* * *

 **CHAPTER ONE - TWENTY YEARS**

* * *

 _It had been twenty years since she had disappeared from the surface of the Earth. Kagome had vanished. She'd fallen off the edge of a cliff after taking a sacred arrow that was aimed directly at the Lord of the West. It had hit her square in the this day the sound of that impact haunted every soul present that very day._

 _Her body had never been found. Not in the foaming waters below, nor along the shores for miles around._

 _It was as though she had never existed. She was gone. Her aura, her scent, her spirit. Only her memory remained. The complete Shikon no Tama had disappeared with her. No one could sense it, not even a youkai as powerful as Sesshoumaru could catch a whiff of it's power, nor its protector._

 _After weeks of searching the shores, the inutachi's despair turned to a faint, lingering hope. If no one could sense the jewel, then perhaps Kagome had managed to wish upon it before it was too late._

 _Everyone had been prepared for the fact that the jewel most likely would return the future-born miko home to her own time - though it had pained them once, now it was a bright and shining hope. If she had been returned to her home, then she would at least be alive, they hoped. Inuyasha had told them all about the advanced medicine and human healers in Kagome's time..._

 _So they hoped. And they prayed that perhaps, one day, the beloved young miko would return to them through the well._

 _Inuyasha took the loss of the miko very hard. He'd sworn to protect her - true, he hadn't always succeeded, he'd put her at risk more times than he could count and left her defenseless while he chased after Kikyou, but he had always MEANT to protect her... He wished he could've told her that he was sorry... He had Kikyou, though. He had his first love...but Kagome's selfless love was hard to forget. Kagome had to be alive, anyway - they all told themselves that, because Kikyou felt nothing within the sliver of a soul she kept that was originally Kagome's._

 _The well had closed. This gave them all another small glimmer of hope that Kagome was, indeed, in her own time. If the jewel had been wished upon, and Kagome was back in her time, then the well would rightfully be sealed. So they all clung to those ideas, using them as a lifeline when they needed it the most._

 _Sesshoumaru, the Mightly Lord of the West, paid little thought to the well or the strands of hope his halfbrother's pack clung to. What bothered him most was that the silly little human miko had taken that arrow for him. She had dared think that he, the Killing Perfection, the Lord of the West, had needed protecting! It was infuriating! How dared she make him indebted to her!? Her last selfless act was troublesome. He HATED the thought of owing someone, a HUMAN, a lifedebt._

 _After a full cycle of seasons had passed, he and Rin approached the small village in Edo, where his half-brother and his pack resided. Rin had wanted to see Shippou, the kitsune kit that the young miko had adopted and treated like her own. To say that the kit and his ward got along well was an understatement. Both were orphans, and had seen Kagome as more than just a playmate - reluctantly, he had to admit that the miko had taken on a mothering role to the young girl and fox. How dared she leave them behind!?_

 _Shippou ended up returning to the Western lands with Sesshoumaru, to be trained in the ways of youkai under Sesshoumaru's watchful eye. And over the years that followed, the kit grew stronger and showed more potential than the Inu Lord had first thought. Now he owed the miko nothing. He'd taken care of her kit and ensured his survival. A life for a life._

 _So, twenty years._

 _Kagome never returned through the well. The old wooden structure started to slowly crumble as its magic died down. Sango and Miroku visited the site every year, on the day of Kagome's disappearance and laying down her favourite flowers, remembering her. The kind soul had made a huge impact on their lives, and they would always keep her in their hears and minds, fondly, no matter how many years that went by. Both the humans were now both grown adults, with five children and two grandchildren. They were happy together. They had a good life. They hoped that Kagome was happy, too, wherever she was._

* * *

Twenty years...

Kishino opened her eyes and blinked against the bright sunlight glittering through the canopy of leaves above her. She'd fallen asleep under a tree again... Great! What was it with her and trees?! Why did she still find such comfort in them?

She was on her feet not many seconds later, stretching her long, lean figure lazily - arms reaching above her head before dropping to hang by her sides. She inhaled deeply. The fresh air of the remote countryside, far away from villages and people was like balm to her soul! She loved it out here! Under the open sky, with no place to be, no sworn duty, no hassle, no rush to be somewhere.

Her relaxed body then proceeded to tense up, and she shifted her stance in anticipation.

"KISHINO-SAMA!"

Kishino cringed at the loud shriek, and quickly gathered her weapons; fastening her katana to her left hip, slinging a quiver of long arrows and her longbow over her shoulder and securing a quiver of shorter arrows on her right hip while clenching a smaller bow in her right hand. She didn't even bother reaching for the long battle staff which she had leaned up against the tree.

"Yes!" Her voice gruff, deep, melodious - managing a small sigh to herself before squaring her shoulders, setting her posture, and preparing for impact.

"Kishino-sama!" The high pitched voice sounded again before a young boy leapt through the bushes and ran towards her, crashing his little body into her legs and his arms coming around her in a deathgrip. She merely grunted quietly. His big brown, almost black eyes were gazing up at her, pleading her silently. Panic rolled off him in waves, and she frowned deeply. The child was terrified!

"What?" Kishino uttered shortly, and the boy pointed behind him.

"Wolves!" He cried, shuddering and pressing himself further into the taller figure.

"Hmph..." Kishino grunted, and rolled her small bow in her palm.

"How far, Tsuren?"

"...fifty paces behind me..."

"What!?" Kishino pushed the boy gently around herself and stood in front of him - the small bow ready in her hand.

The bow itself was perhaps a few inches short of two feet long, but it was a preferred weapon of choice - it took less time to notch an arrow and could be fired more rapidly and more accurately at shorter ranges.

"Tsuren, I want you to leg it as fast as you can to the river..." Kishino squared her shoulders and straightened her back. She angled her jaw and her eyes became more narrow, somehow changing her features completely with those small adjustments.

"...but..."

"Do it! Run to the river, dive in, and STAY in till I come and get you!" Kishino barked the order, watching the child nod and do as he was told. Good boy!

Kishino inhaled deeply once she was sure the boy was safe, then flared her powers outwards and sensed the rapidly approaching youkai auras. Four adult youkai chasing one child. Honour-lacking bastards! A growl passed through her lips.

Her eyebrow twitched slightly in annoyance before a short arrow was notched on the short bow...then fired. Another followed, then another. Three canine yelps were heard as the projectiles hit and strong barriers of holy energy protruded from the arrows - keeping the unfortunate wolves from getting free, thus effectively chaining them to the area of impact. Effective. No harm done to anyone.

She inhaled deeply, again, before yanking her katana from its sheath - swinging it upwards to block the claws of the wolf leader. It could've been a fatal blow to the back of her neck, but Kishino was not one to be taken by surprise. She'd sensed the strong aura come up behind her and had quickly calculated how many seconds she had to react. She was glad he had been correct.

A bright flare of holy power reached outwards from her entire body, and the wolf youkai flinched back at the potency of that power. Kishino huffed and sheathed the katana quickly, keeping a protective barrier around herself so the wolf couldn't get to her.

"Priest! You would come between a wolf and his meal?" The wolf growled, causing Kishino's eye eyebrow to twitch in annoyance yet again. That's right - a woman she might be, but to the world she appeared to be male.

"Your _'meal',_ is my ward, youkai!" HE spat back to the wolf, narrowing his blazing blue eyes. The wolf snarled, baring sharp fangs at the human priest as he stood fearlessly against him.

"No human takes in a youkai child to care for!" The wolf sneered in disgust, to which Kishino merely laughed merrily.

"That is rich, wolf! I remember tales of a human woman doing just that many seasons ago! Why cannot I?"

"That WOMAN was special!" The wolf replied, his anger suddenly deflated and remorse shone in his stunning blue eyes.

"She was MY woman..."

Kishino tilted his head slightly. Huh...that was interesting. Then he realized just who this was. Kami, it had really been too long! Kouga!? What was he doing in these parts?!

The wolf seemed lost in thought for a moment, but it was clear that he snapped out of it by a quick shake of his head when he heard the priest clear his throat sharply.

"You're the leader of the Eastern wolf tribe, Kouga, aren't yout?" Kishino then asked carefully, not really wishing to fight the youkai unless he absolutely had to.

Blue eyes met blue eyes, and the wolf, Kouga, gave a short nod.

"So, human, you know of me - care to give me your name? ...and possibly free my pack-members?"

"Hn...will you promise me to not attack my ward?" Kishino voiced his question with slight suspicion, but none the less he recalled the arrows - they floated through the air and into his waiting hand and thus breaking the restraining spells on the other wolves.

He kept his eyes on Kouga all the time, watching the slight surprise that graced the wolf youkai's features as the arrows flew back into the human priest's hand.

"You hold great power, priest..." Kouga mused, and Kishino inclined his head - not mistaking the statement for an actual compliment - he wasn't cocky, nor did he need others to confirm the potency of the powers he wielded.

"As do you, Kouga-sama, I have heard many great tales about you and your pack - not to mention your adventures and deeds in the not too distant past..." Kishino kept the polite tone, watching with slight interest how one sharp fang was revealed in a half-smile as Kouga scoffed a small chuckle at the attempted praise.

"Yeah, well...it's in the past. And you still did not give me your name..." Kouga crossed his arms across his chest. His pack members darted to his side, all growling and rubbing their sore shoulders, glaring at the priest who was now chatting to their leader like they were old friends. What was up with that!?

Arching an eyebrow, Kishino merely eyed the wolves with calm patience.

"I am sure you caught my name while my ward shouted it in panic as you chased him through the forest..." that was his only reply, and the three wolves accompanying Kouga growled menacingly at him for daring to talk like that to their leader.

Kishino proceeded to raise both hands, palms facing them, he meant no offense.

"My name is Kishino, I'm merely a simple wandering warrior-priest, and I will take my leave now." He smiled slightly at the somewhat surprised looks on their faces.

"I ask that you do not attempt to follow me, nor try to attack myself or my ward in the future. Next time I will do worse than simply bind your wolves to the spot..." A ghost of a smile passed his lips again as he voiced his gentle and polite threat. He was about to start walking when he caught the sound of a deep, rich laughter. Kouga was laughing. Kishino shuddered inwardly. The sound was...all too familiar.

"I like you, priest! A human daring to speak so freely to a youkai is rare..." Kouga grinned mischievously, and Kishino could only stare at him with an icy calmness.

"...even if your stare can rival the Lord Sesshoumaru at this moment, sheesh!" Kouga cringed at the thought of the Western Lord.

The wolf-leader kept his eyes on the priest, studying him. This warrior-priest was of an average height despite his gender, maybe 5'8'' if he should take a guess. He appeared young, perhaps roughly twenty years of age. Lean, with a slender chest, and a narrow waist, a finely shaped face with appealing features and alluring ocean blue eyes. His jet black hair was tied back in a loose plat that fell down to his mid-back. His items of clothing were...a little unorthodox, but if this man was a warrior-priest then he could, perhaps, understand. In battle it was important that ones clothes did not hinder ones movements.

"Easy now, Kouga-sama - you need to find yourself a woman instead of eyeing up a wandering priest..." Kishino commented dryly as he realized that the wolf Lord was, indeed, eyeing him up.

Kouga blinked slowly, catching up to the meaning behind those sneedy words, then growled as he realised the priest had made a valid point. He should get home to his woman. They would finish their hunt and return to the dens.

"Let's go. Hakkaku, Ginta, Siel!" Kouga inclined his head to the priest before they departed into the forest. They would find their food somewhere else. The seal-youkai was now out of the question...

Kishino flared his powers again after a few moments, and only when he could not sense them anymore did he drop his protective barrier, grab his battle staff, and turn on his heel to run down to the nearby river.

"Tsuren!"

Upon hearing his protector's voice, the youkai boy swam to the riverbank and got out of the water.

"Kishino-sama!" He sniffed, shaking slightly before he threw himself at the waiting human, and as always a pair of soothing, surprisingly strong arms welcomed him and embraced him - even if he was dripping wet.

"Shh, Tsuren...it's alright. They're gone..." Kishino smiled and knelt down to look at the child's face. Gentle hands wiped the remaining tears of the boy's face.

"You did good..."

* * *

Twenty years...

Kishino sat leaned up against a tree. Her left hand ran absentmindedly through white, plush hair. Her little Tsuren. She smiled gently to herself.

Tsuren was a seal-youkai; a rare breed of youkai that had only been seen a handful of times off the shores of Japan. Few even knew, or remembered that they existed. They lived in the deep waters, keeping mostly to their own kind and remaining in their animal form most of their lives. Only she knew of their colourful and rich lives beneath the surface of the water - only she had seen their underwater caverns and dens. It was a whole world down there! And she'd seen it!

Tsuren had chosen to leave his watery life behind to follow her in her travels...and she was grateful. He was hers to protect. Hers to love. She had sworn an oath to his dying parents that she'd take care of him in their stead. That was ten years ago...just before she began travelling across the land. He wouldn't leave her side, and had he not wanted to travel the lands with her, she'd have stayed in the water with him.

The meeting with Kouga today had revived memories that Kishino had thought she'd locked away decades ago. He hadn't recognized her, _'his woman'._ She scoffed and rolled her eyes to herself, shifting the sleeping child closer to her, cradling the smaller body against her own before placing a gentle kiss on his brow.

Twenty years ago she had taken a sacred arrow to her chest. She'd fallen off a cliff thanks to the impressive impact and plummeted into the dark waters below. The minutes after she was submerged in the water were still clouded, and she couldn't remember much, but she hadn't died. No matter how long she meditated, tried to remember, or searched her mind, she couldn't remember anything else than a blinding light right before unconsciousness claimed her.

The Shikon no Tama had disappeared. She couldn't sense it, so she knew it existed no more - but she knew she had not made a wish on it, not even in her dying moments. She hadn't died. The answer hadn't presented itself to her at first, but a dream had hinted that the Shikon no Tama had acted on its own, seeking to protect its protector. Maybe it had wished upon itself, something she doubted seeing as it was not a living thing as such... Then there was the chance it had fused itself with her body, to ensure her survival. Her body had, after all, been its vessel once. And upon doing so it had enhanced her powers and life-force so she could continue to live, and be safe.

Whatever had happened, she was grateful.

As she was sinking into the dark waters, she was found by Tsuren's clan-members and brought to their very secret and shielded domain far below the water's surface. Winding mazes of underwater tunnels and caves several miles from shore kept the small clan of seal-youkai safe and hidden from the world.

She remembered when she first woke up, surrounded by seals. It was a large domed cave, with an impressively high ceiling. They'd all clustered together to provide warmth for her, they had offered her food, and their healer had tended to her wound.

She'd connected with them in an instant, and had stayed with them for nearly a decade, swimming with them, learning to hold her breath for a long period of time, hunting with them, and manoeuvring around the tunnels and learning where to go up for air.

Ten years she had been living freely with her new family before she decided to return to land. It had been so hard to bid her friends goodbye.

And then there was little Tsuren. His parents had been killed by eagle-youkai while hunting for fish near the surface. Blasted birds had auras that couldn't be detected by other youkai. She hadn't been able to do anything for them other than swear to look after their cub in their place.

The first weeks back on land had been difficult. It had been very trying and took every ounce of patience and knowledge she possessed.

She had learned a lot about the seal-youkai, but trying to teach a cub how to change into his humanoid youkai form, and then hold that form without changing back, had been a real challenge. The other challenge had been to decide how she would be travelling... A quick monologue with herself resulted in the decision to 'genderbend' herself - well, as best she could anyway.

She'd purchased simple clothes for herself and Tsuren from a small fishing village a day's march from the place they went ashore, using precious pearls and shells as payment. She'd also managed to purchase a simple bow and some arrows. At least it had been something to start off with.

And now here she was, ten years after she and Tsuren started travelling on land. She now wore black, slightly flowing trousers which were tucked into soft mid-calf black leather boots. The soles of the boots were soft, allowing her feet to feel the ground beneath them, provided precious grip and guaranteed surefootedness.

She had made the top she wore herself, very inspired by her original birth-era's turtleneck jumper, also black in colour. A white haori hung over her shoulders, hiding most of her weapons, aside from her longbow and arrows and her battle staff.

She'd practised her walk and refined the way she carried herself to become the man she needed the world to see her as. She'd altered her voice through endless hours of training so it could match her male appearance. She would never have a very masculine voice, but it was convincing enough to suit her youthful look.

She had set aside most of her futuristic beliefs. This wasn't the future, this was the _bleepin'_ feudal era! A travelling man was more acceptable than a travelling woman. Even if she had posed as a miko she'd still be a woman. As a man, a self-proclaimed warrior-priest, she had the possibility of being heard and respected. Her powers were stronger, and she had owned up to them and learned how to use, manipulate, manifest, and honour them to perfection. She had become more than what she'd ever thought she would ever be.

She sighed. Twenty years. She'd come a long way. Without the jewel she knew the well wouldn't work - so she had never travelled near Edo. If the jewel had indeed fused with her body, which she suspected more and more to be what had actually happened since she didn't seem to age, she guessed that...well, she'd have to endure the long route home to her birth-era.

Her blue eyes gazed down at the boy resting against her. His hair soft like plush cotton, shoulder length, white as shimmering snow - he was still just a young cub. His hair would change as he grew older, right now he looked the equivalent of a five-year-old human boy. He had the sweetest face, with the biggest, most heartmelting eyes! Big, round, dark brown orbs that one simply could lose oneself in and never want for anything else than to keep staring into them.

She had dressed him well, suited for travel. Brown trousers and soft brown leather boots, and a pale green longsleeved kosode. She'd taken the liberty of enhancing the fabric with her powers, making sure that he would never be cold, and that he'd keep cool during the warmer days, just like she'd enhanced her own clothes. It also repelled water, so rainy days never hindered them as they travelled.

Twenty years. She'd not given her past much thought. Ever since she woke up with the seals she had felt like it was OK to let go of the past. She'd fulfilled her task; Naraku had been slain, Inuyasha could be with Kikyou and be happy, and she had repaid her debt to Sesshoumaru for saving her life by giving her own for his.

She'd moved on to live her life as she herself pleased. Did she miss her friends? Of course! She always would! She loved them! But...she would never be able to watch Sango and Miroku grow old while she remained the same. She wasn't particularly keen on seeing Inuyasha and Kikyou together either, even if she had given up on the hanyou, romantically, long before the final battle against Naraku... There were just too many sore memories tied to those two.

And Shippou...her little kit...Kami, it still hurt to think about him. She missed him so much! But thanks to her new family she'd learned that he was safe and under the protection of Sesshoumaru. He would live.

"Mrr, Kishino-sama.." Tsuren whined softly in his sleep, tearing Kishino out of her deep thoughts, and she adjusted him in her arms.

"You can sleep a little longer, Tsuren. I'll wake you when it's time to continue our journey." She closed her eyes. She could do with a few hours of sleep herself. Her barrier would keep dangers away.


	2. Ten years

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

~~~O~~~

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWO - TEN YEARS**

* * *

Ten years.

The kitsune huffed against the wind, staring down into the deep valley that lay directly to the east of the Western castle. His hands were folded into the sleeves of his forest green haori, keeping the light breeze from tearing at his clothes too much.

He had been ordered by his Lord to check out the rumours of a warrior-priest who had been seen travelling with a youkai child - apparently they recently been observed entering the Western Lands. The Western Lord couldn't ignore such a rumour when it came from multiple sources, and as the Lord he had to take into consideration that this unknown human could mean trouble.

"And that's why he sent me..." Shippou grumbled to himself. Because he, obviously, knew humans better than the Western Soldiers...seeing as Shippou had spent many years travelling alongside humans. Logic.

It was a stupid excuse! Sesshoumaru just wanted him out of the Castle!

This actually brought a cheeky smirk to the kitsune's lips - he was getting along with Sesshoumaru just fine, really. Things had just been a little tense around the time he'd gone and asked Sesshoumaru for permission to court Rin - he was lucky he got out of that meeting alive, to put it lightly. He'd spent days in the healer's wing recovering from his wounds. He found out later that Rin had dared tell her Lord off for his treatment of him, but either way; the end result was that he and Rin had been allowed to mate.

That as ten years ago.

Shippou now stood at 6'6'', looking equivanent to a twenty-five year old human. His auburn hair was kept tied up in a high ponytail which reached down to below his shoulderblades. His features were more refined, with high cheekbones, a sharp masculine chin, and glittering emerald eyes in the shape of almonds. One forest green stripe adorned each side of his face. Instead of one bushy tail he now had three long, proper fox tails - signs of his growing powers.

Yes, he had grown into adulthood in the difficult years since his mother-figure disappeared, and taking Rin for his mate had ensured her lifespan to match his. Neiher of them would be left behind, nor be alone again! He was full youkai, after all, his blood and youki was strong - tying Rin's lifespan to his had been no trouble.

All in all, he had figured that Sesshoumaru couldn't be too angry with him for mating Rin - because now he would never have to lose his little human ward to the human flaw of old age and eventual death. No, the real reason Sesshoumar wanted him out of the Castle, Shippou suspected, was because Rin was pregnant...aaaaand; apparently the Lord hadn't been prepared for THAT, even if Rin had been mated to a cheeky kitsune for nearly a decade already...go figure.

Said kitsune inhaled deeply, trying to catch the scent of this human he had been sent to find, but his keen nose couldn't even scent out anything other than the endless forest of the valley and the creatures inhabiting it. Either the human wasn't here, or he was a master of hiding his aura and scent...which was a disturbing thought. It would make his job much more difficult...yay...

Taking off running, Shippou just randomly chose a direction. Had to start somewhere, right?

"Here human, human, human..." he sniggered to himself, allowing himself a moment - they were far between nowadays. He was on his own out here, for the moment, so why not?!

* * *

Kishino grumbled, hanging over the edge of a hotspring while scrubbing sticky tree-sap from Tsuren's clothes. She had been instructing the small youkai child in how to harvest said sticky tree-sap from the mighty oak trees around the clearing. This was because she used the sap as an ingredient in a balm she applied to her skin and armour to suppress her female scent. While travelling through a land and time with youkai all around; with their keen noses and ability to sense auras, she had to be cautious and do whatever she could to maintain her male disguise.

The balm she would make later contained several herbs as well and the end result would last her for a long time, but alas; now she had been in need of more. Hence sap everywhere.

"There..." she heaved a sigh of finality and pulled away from the hot water, wringing water from the garments in her hands.

"Next time, though, Tsuren, rolling in the grass beneath the tree where we've collected sap, is not ON..." She winked at the cub and placed the clothes over a low hanging branch before she lowered herself down onto the ground next to the little seal-cub. She lifted him up into her lap and ran her fingers over his soft plush pelt. While she had washed his clothes, he'd taken on his animal shape so he wouldn't be cold.

She loved his seal form! He was so warm and fluffy! Snow white! Like a living, breathing, warm plushie! She couldn't resist burying her face into his fur and inhaling the pleasant baby-scent mixed with the scent of the forest and grass.

"Fluffpillow!" She cooed softly and sniggered quietly as the baby seal squirmed in protest before transforming to his humanoid child form.

"Kishino-sama!" he pouted up at her face, and she chuckled softly, kissing his head and wrapping her arms around his small form even tighter before she placed him on the blanket on the ground, tickling his sides. His laugh chimed through the clearing, her own joining his for a moment.

A light shudder ran through him as they calmed, and she reached out to grab her haori; wrapping it around him. He settled down and was quickly falling asleep once wrapped in the safe and familiar piece of clothing.

Kishino studied him, feeling the tug on her heartstrings. She didn't know where she would be if she hadn't had him to care for all these years. Ten years on land. It was a long time, and youkai aged slower than humans, but she would have it no other way! With herself not ageing, it felt nice to have a child to care for a little longer than she normally would've had she kept her humanity.

"I love you, Tsuren!" She whispered and was rewarded by a soft purr from the small seal youkai boy.

"Kishino-sama, where are we heading next?" he asked sleepily, on the verge of entering dreamland, and she offered him a small smile in reply.

"I thought we'd start heading to the beach." She knew he would understand. There was only one beach she would talk about without defining specifically where it was. Their beach - where they left the water ten years ago.

"We haven't seen our family in three years, I think it's time to catch up."

Besides...Tsuren needed the salt water. Being away from his natural habitat for too long drained the little seal. Fresh water was ok, he often swam in his natural form in rivers and lakes, but the ocean was his home, it was a part of him. Normally they stayed by the ocean at least once or twice a year for a few weeks at a time for Tsuren's sake, but they hadn't been to THE beach in nearly three years. They both missed their seal family.

Her eyes travelled up to the canopy of leaves above their heads. Yes, the beach. Ten years. They should start moving in the morning.

* * *

"Show yourself, youkai!" Tsuren was awoken by Kishino's demanding voice.

He recognized the tone and depth of her voice, and knew she was 'male' again. He kept silent, and remained under the white haori while clinging to his protector's back. He'd been resting while catching a ride on Kishino's back as they walked, now headed for the beach.

They'd been on the road since morning. Walking for nearly 5 hours straight since lunch took its toll on the young youkai, but despite his tired body he dared a peek over Kishino's tense shoulder.

There, about thirty meters in front of them, stood a large red fox youkai. From the clothing Tsuren would think he was someone important, they appeared expensive even though they were made for travel. Three tails swished behind the fox, speaking louder than words of the male' agitation. Wow, he was an amazing sight to behold!

"I mean you no harm, nor do I wish any trouble, kitsune..." Kishino spoke softly, holding up one hand with his palm facing the youkai as a sign of no ill intent.

Kishino had no troubles understanding who the fox was. Even after twenty years apart he would recognize him. Seeing him now, though...he wasn't sure if he would be able to keep his 'cool'. And Kishino ALWAYS had perfect control of his emotions!

How many times had he not ran different scenarios of himself meeting someone from his past again through his mind? Countless nights while gazing at the stars, while dreaming in his sleep, and daydreaming while walking...

The fictions in his head were nothing compared to the very real scenario before him right now...

"You say you wish for no trouble, but you hide your aura and scent - thus you purposefully hide your true intentions from those who are sworn to protect these lands!" The kitsune bit back in a cold tone, emerald irises flashing dangerously before he charged.

"I am merely cautious as I travel through youkai lands!" Kishino's eyes narrowed slightly, and felt Tsuren shift on his back. Good! Battle-position. Good boy, he read the situation well!

It couldn't be helped, he threw his staff up, grabbing it with both hands and by doing so blocking the sword of the fox. The youkai's superior strength caused him to take a small step back, but he pushed against the physically stronger male and got enough space between them to swipe at the fox with one end of he staff.

He unsheathed his katana in a flash, holding it in his right hand, swirling the staff in his left. He prepared, using his highly enhanced senses to predict the fox' trajectory, the fast movements which would've made the fox invisible to a normal human eye were radared by Kishino's tuned senses.

His sword caught the youkai's sword with a loud clank of metal - the sheer force the youkai used caused a tremor to run through Kishino's arm. A few well chosen curses passed through the back of his mind, even Inuyasha would've blushed. His staff blocked the claws that attempted a swipe at his abdomen. It was difficult to fight well with a child attached to him and throwing him slightly off balance, but he found a way to make it work, since Tsuren needed his protection.

He jumped up to avoid a slash at his legs and leaned back; putting his staff behind him to catch his and Tsuren's weight and in the process threw his left leg up straight, making contact with the youkai's chin.

The kitsune leapt back and flared his impressive youki in an attempt to throw the priest off, but the priest's own reiki rose and clashed with it, actually pushing back the offending power. Kishino straightened his back and held his staff up in front of himself, narrow eyes watching the kitsune.

The fox blinked once before preparing another attack. So he had met a formidable opponent. Sesshoumaru had been right to take interest the possible trouble this human could cause.

"I seek safe passage through the honourable Lord Sesshoumaru's lands!" The human called, swinging his katana up and around to the back of his head to meet with Shippou's blade. He was very skilled in avoiding decapitation.

"I do not want to fight you! I just wish to continue my journey so I can reach mine and my ward's home by the shores to the east..." Kishino bit out through clenched teeth, spinning around and throwing up a barrier in time to deflect the sharp claws that would've tore large gashes in the back of his haori.

He pushed his powers into the barrer, the holy energy causing the kitsune to take a step back.

"Your...ward?" The fox arched an eyebrow arrogantly, and Kishino could swear to any Kami that it had to be an adopted trait from the ice lord himself - however, he refrained from rolling his eyes. Instead, he carefully reached behind his back, nudged the velcro-Tsuren with his hand and fished out the small seal-youkai boy from under his haori. He kept his staff in his other hand, ready to protect again if he needed.

"It's alright, Tsuren..." he whispered and placed the small boy infront of him, the child's back pressed tightly against his legs, his katana and battle staff crossed protectively infront of the small body.

He noticed right away the fox' interest in his ward. It seemed to dawn upon the fox that he could've injured the child, and it didn't seem like he enjoyed that thought, so Kishino wasn't all too surprised when he heard the next words:

"Share camp with me tonight." The fox' tone was nothing less than demanding, leaving absolutely no room for any form for objection or declining

"Kishino-sama..." Tsuren tugged on his protector's sleeve, and his dark brown eyes pleaded with the human priest to not follow the fox. The kitsune's massive and powerful aura scared him.

"We are in the Western lands, Tsuren. This kitsune serves the House of the Moon, and the Lord of the West. To decline or object to the demand of sharing a camp would be seen as an offence. And we are not here to start fights. Nor can we afford to disrespect the rulers of these lands. If this is the peaceful way to go to get on our way, then we must go with it...besides, you need some sleep."

"I know you could've kicked his butt..." Tsuren muttered, and Kishino had no way of stopping the bright chuckle that erupted in his chest.

"Oh, Tsuren, my cub, I don't kick butt!" He exclaimed softly, picking up the child and carrying him on his arm instead of on his back.

"I'm sorry!" Tsuren grinned, knowing what was coming.

"I merely show them not to mess with me!"

"...by kicking their sorry butts into next week!"

"...Have I raised you wrong?" The warrior-priest made big eyes at the seal-youkai, then grinned cheekily at him to let him know he was joking.

"No, Kishino-sama!" Tsuren used a sing-song tone before giggling, and Kishino chuckled deeply in response, following the aura of the fox into a clearing in the forest.

* * *

There was already a fire burning in the small camp when he and Tsuren arrived, so the warrior-priest set the child down and pulled a warm blanket from the small satchel on Tsuren's back. He cooed soothingly at the child and lead his ward to the fire. The fox eyed them both warily, but Kishino paid him no attention.

Once he'd gotten Tsuren to sit down he quickly went about removing his weapons and quivers from his person, setting them down on the ground carefully before he gracefully sat down by the fire. His weapons were, of course, within range should he need them. He did not take their safety for granted.

Tsuren wasted no time and crawled into his lap and snuggled into him while his guardian wrapped the blanket around him and passed him some dried fruits to gnaw on much to Tsuren's delight.

"The child adores you..." the fox mused out loud, and Kishino blinked.

"Ah. It's a side-effect from something I call TLC!" he grinned cheekily. As the fox blinked again, Kishino hurried to explain;

"It is just a short term for Tender L..."

"Tender Love and Care, I know..." the kitsune replied abruptly.

"I've heard it before..." the adult youkai was watching the human much more closely now.

Kishino nodded, lowering his gaze to the soft head of white hair that rested against his chest. Tsuren found complete comfort in listening to his heartbeats and his chewing was getting slower. Not long before that little dear would be asleep.

"How long have you travelled with your ward?"

Kishino glanced back to the kitsune, tilting his head slightly.

"Ten years..."

"Ten?"

Kishino nodded slowly. The fox seemed to lose himself in thought. Kishino found his thoughts to stray as well while staring at the fox. He had grown up. No longer a small kit, but a fully grown man, a beautifully handsome male fox! With three tails! Oh his heart couldn't be more proud! Still his chest clenched. He'd missed his growth!

"My name is Kishino..." He offered Shippou his name, inclining his head to the fox - attempting a smooth intro into conversation.

"Kishino Hito."

"Wait, what? Hito? THE Kishino Hito?" The fox almost (note, ALMOST!) gasped, and Kishino blinked several times. So, they had heard of him in the Western Lands...

"That's what I said." He replied slowly, almost reluctantly, keeping a suspicious eye on the fox.

"The warrior-priest that defeated the corrupt dragon Mitokatsuryu singlehandedly in the Northern Lands? And then proceeded to aid the Lord of the South in his battle against invading black rat youkai from the mainland?"

"...yes...?" Kishino tilted his head. The rumours must've travelled across the lands faster than he'd first thought...

"...that was ten years ago!" the fox continued and Kishino hesitated slightly.

"Yes, I know how much time has passed since then..."

"But you're so young...barely out of your teens!"

So that's what Shippou couldn't get his head around? Kishino chuckled softly and shook his head, glancing up at the dark canopy above their heads.

"Ah, yes. I have seen some wise women and men about this...condition..." Kishino rubbed the back of his neck, trying to ignore the impatient look in the green eyes on the other side of the fire.

"My holy powers protect me from the touch of time. I guess you could say I'm immune to time. I've been the same for the past twenty years...and I will remain so for an incredibly long time."

The fox narrowed his eyes even more at that piece of information. Immune to time...

"You didn't even think twice about sharing that kind of information with me, human..."

"Nah..." came the short, unceremonial reply, followed by a quick shrug of shoulders. It was the truth, so why hide it? Shippou could sense no deceit - which only made him more curious. It did dawn upon him that he had yet to introduce himself, manners had been long forgotten somewhere between attacking the priest and inviting him to share camp.

"This One's name is Shippou; Heir of the Western Lord, Sesshoumaru." the words were spoken slowly, almost like he detested how the words tasted in his mouth.

Kishino stared blankly at the kitsune. The name. Shippou. Hearing him say his own name out loud... He was fighting internally, using all of his willpower to not throw himself at the fox and declare all his deepest secrets and blow his cover in a heartbeat. That...would be very...unmanly. Emotions were once again reigned in and concealed.

"I thought the Lord of the West was an Inu youkai..." he tried instead to distract himself, fishing for info or the backstory to Shippou being declared Heir.

Shippou was heard scoffing, which brought Kishino's ocean blue eyes to lock firmly on the kitsune again, surprise swimming in his deep blue irises for a brief moment.

"Oh, he is. He's just too bloody stubborn to take a mate! He took me in when I was a kit after my mother disappeared, and he's trained me for twenty years straight - no mercy. Since I am conveniently full youkai, and despite my young age; already a three tailed kitsune... I guess it was convenient to name me heir to the West...that way he doesn't HAVE to take a mate to gain an Heir."

"...you didn't even think twice about sharing that kind of information with me, youkai..." Kishino arched an eyebrow, smirking at Shippou in such a way he could almost SEE the skin on the youkai's arms crawl with goose-flesh.

"Damn, Hito-sama. Throwing my own words back at me? No humans, and less than a handful youkai dare do that..." Shippou snickered wickedly. Perhaps he could coax the human into another fight.

"Seeing as I am timeless I see myself as neither human nor youkai, Shippou-sama. I don't always follow the norms or rules of either species...I kinda just go my own way."

Blue met green over the fire, locking gazes and holding it for a long time. In the end it was Kishino who withdrew his gaze in order to put the sleeping seal-youkai boy down, tucking the white haori around the child before leaning down to nuzzle him affectionately.

"Sleep well, Tsuren..." he whispered softly before his body tensed. His nose hovered above Tsuren's soft cheek for a few fleeting moments, his eyes shifted in their sockets to focus on something behind Shippou.

Shippou was instantly on guard with the shift in Kishino's body-language. Alarms went off in his head. He didn't sense anything!

Within the blink of an eye the warrior-priest had rolled to his right, gotten up on one knee and fired the arrow with his short bow - it blazed past Shippou's head, missing by less than a hand's width. The power imbued into the projectile stung against his skin. Milliseconds later a heavy thump sounded, followed by a scream of pain belonging to a large bird.

Shippou snapped his head around to catch sight of the eagle youkai that writhed on the ground, Kishino's short arrow embedded deeply in its abdomen. Clawed hands were desperately trying to remove the offending sharp missile to no avail.

"How..." Shippou turned back to the priest and had his breath caught in his throat. The crouching position, the bow, the eyes...it tugged at something in the back of his mind...

"There is a tribe of eagle youkai who cannot be sensed by other youkai...they live on the rocky cliffs and barren rock islands off the western coast..." Kishino's voice was strained, and he rose to his feet, recalling the arrow to his hand. The arrow dislodged itself from the bird-youkai's guts and flew into the open hand which clenched around it, tightly.

"You remind me of someone..." Shippou glared at the priest, who walked past him like he hadn't heard him.

The Warrior-Priest was moving over to the spot where the eagle was writhing still, the purification happening in slow-motions by Kishino's demand - an unconscious display of the level of control he had over his powers.

Kishino's rage blazed like an inferno around him, for anyone who could see auras it was quite an intense sight. Silvery pink and ice blue whites swirled like an inferno of flames around the human male. An impressive aura, bright, pure, and dangerous! Such rage because of an attempted attack?

"You jerk! You f*cking overgrown chicken nugget! Hasn't your kind learned that you can't get past ME?! Haven't I told you to stay the f*uck away from me and my ward!?" Kishino hissed, the tip of his boot connecting with the eagle youkai's hip. The motion drew a wicked hiss from the youkai before the eagle burst into purified dust, sparkling pink before it faded into the night.

"Jerk?" Shippou tilted his head. He was, officially, curious beyond belief! Something was REALLY nagging at the back of his mind...TLC, immune to time...jerk...chicken nugget?

"...at the lack of something better to shout at it..." Kishino muttered darkly. His eyes were glued to the spot the eagle had been, slowly blinking out of his enraged stupor when he spotted the tips of another pair of boots in front of him.

As he slowly let his gaze travel upwards he found himself staring directly into the face of the kitsune. The intense emerald orbs quickly caught his own ocean blue and he couldn't look away.

"What?" Kishino grunted, trying to sound irritated in order to hide how unnerved he was by the close proximity of the other male.

A clawed hand rose and cupped the left side of his face, and there was a flash of a vicious canine smirk.

"You've been lying to me..." Shippou's voice had dropped several octaves, and Kishino sweatdropped slightly.

"I have not!" He protested, flushing slightly as the fox leaned in closer. _Ok_ , Kishino thought, _this was getting awkward fast!_

"Shippou-sama! That's enough! I'm not one to judge if you're into other males, but I assure you I am not!" He feigned rage to further hide the rising blush to his cheeks.

"Tell me about the eagle-youkai...the ones with no aura..." Shippou noticed the hitching breath of the human, feeling the heat under the skin on his face through his palm.

"They...killed Tsuren's parents...other youkai can't sense them."

"Hn." Shippou scoffed, before his nose was firmly embedded into the priest's jet black hair, right behind his ear. Kishino made a sound of protest to the invasion of his personal space, especially since Shippou seemed to be inhaling deeply.

Kishino felt dread soak through his entire being when the fox' other hand reached around him and quickly disposed of the strip of leather that kept his hair tied together in a plat. The clawed hand ruffled out the masses of black hair before he pulled back and arranged the locks around Kishino's shoulders.

Kishino's heart hammered in his chest by now.

His own eyes shone with intense emotional pain as the emerald green eyes of his once-adopted son flashed with hurt at the image he knew he now portrayed.

He wanted to cry, but he had long since forgotten how to indulge in such a relief of emotional pain, but his breath still hitched several times.

In the end it was Shippou who broke first. Kishino's heart ached as he caught the pained snarl coming from the kitsune, then Shippou was gone. He'd left.


	3. Hours and Minutes

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

* * *

 **CHAPTER THREE - HOURS AND MINUTES**

* * *

Twenty years since the arrow. Geez. Time flies. The first ten years were spent with a clan of seal youkai, the next ten years were spent travelling the land as man... And that's the short summary of her past twenty years. A rough explanation, no extra details.

At this very moment, she was counting down something else entirely; It had now been two hours, fifteen minutes and thirty-eight seconds since her first meeting with Shippou after those twenty years.

She ran a calloused hand over her face, taking another deep breath. It would be a lie to say she wasn't upset. She should have realised sooner that HE out of ALL people from her past would've recognised her. He had, in less than an hour, managed to deduct - from words she used, to body-language and small habits she still carried with her even after all this time, who she was. He had practically LIVED on her shoulder for YEARS! He'd curled up with her in her sleeping-bag...for CRYING OUT LOUD! He'd imprinted on her scent! She'd been his mother...any youkai child would know their mother's scent no matter how much time passed...

Even a scent as well hidden as her own...

She paused her troubled thoughts and brought her grilled meat out of the fire. She bit into it, chewing thoughtfully on the charred slices, her expression growing darker by the bitter taste of burned meat. ugh, burned meat...Fantastic...

"Kishino-sama?" Kishino looked up from her meal to gaze at her young ward, he gave her a worried look.

"Did the big fox say something mean to you?" He whispered worriedly, and she stopped chewing at his words.

"What? Oh, no...no, Tsuren, sweetheart..." She hurried to reassure him, frowning.

"You only call me 'sweetheart' when you're really really upset..." He whimpered in response.

"Tsuren..." A sigh escaped past her lips. Her eyes saddening. That dear sweet little child!

Tsuren jumped to his feet, his little hands clenched as though he was prepared to fight. His deep brown, almost black eyes determined, stubborn, willfull.

"If he hurt you, I will be mad at him! He can't be mean to my Kishino-sama!" the boy then seemed to lose his fighting-spirit and sniffed. Kishino felt absolutely horrible right then, her guts clenched painfully and she quickly forgot about her previous hunger. She threw her meat into the fire, no longer fancying devouring it as planned. Instead she scooted over to where the child sat, tugged him into her side and pulled him into her lap. Her arms encircled him firmly, holding him to her chest, to her heart, then curled her body around him as best she could.

They sat like that for the longest time. He was playing velcro-kid again, clinging to her with his head pressed against her chest, legs locked around her waist and arms in a deathgrip around her neck. She held him just as desperately, rocking them both gently back and forth. Comfort. Together.

* * *

"Do you remember all the stories I told you of the past?" She whispered into his small, pointed elfin ear when the silence became so heavy it was hard to breathe. She just felt him nod against her shoulder in response.

"Do you also remember my stories about that awesome little kitsune, named Shippou?"

Again, he nodded against her, and she nuzzled into his soft hair, inhaling his scent - forests and sweet wild berries, lush green grass mixed with the underlaying scent of the wild ocean. Gosh, how she loved his scent!

"The big fox we met earlier. He's the same Shippou..." Her voice a soft whisper.

"Shippou was like my own son, did you know? I used to carry him around with me all the time, he perched on my shoulder most of the time, and most nights he slept next to me for warmth and comfort." Though the memory made her feel sad, she couldn't help but smile. It was a wonderful memory, one she would forever cherish.

"We played together, had fun together, found peace and a sense of belonging together. He was always so brave, even when he was scared. Much like you, Tsuren." Her lips pressed against the top of the fluffy white hair on her youkai child's hair. She knew he was listening intently to her. He always did.

"I have wished, every day, for twenty years, that I had gone back for him - even though I knew I couldn't."

"Is Shippou the reason I can't call you mama?" That tiny little, fragile question caught her completely off guard, and an ice cold chill ran down her spine. Kami, did he believe that...? She moved her head from his and looked down at his sad little face. She inhaled deeply before she nuzzled her nose against his affectionately.

"I AM your mama, Tsuren! I promised your birth-parents..." She replied slowly while tasting the bile at the back of her throat. She wanted nothing more than to reassure him of his standing with her.

"No, it has been my stupid idea of fitting in that's the reason why you can't...Only when we are alone or with our clan. I'm so sorry little one."

Kishino clutched Tsuren to her, as if she was scared he would run away from her if she let him go. Her chest hurt, the pain almost similar to what she'd felt when the sacred arrow pierced through her all those years ago. Excruciating! Her guilt-levels were skyrocketing by the minute.

"Tsuren, I want nothing more than for you to call me that…" she whispered to the little boy in her arms, nuzzling her nose into his soft cheek.

"I've been a selfish woman, more worried about maintaining an image…I promise, soon. I'll cease my travels, settle down, and you can call me mama all you like, whenever you like!"

Had the current setting been different, she would've found it almost ironic how many similarity traits there were between Tsuren and the little girl, Rin; following their protector around with childish adoration, never complaining – but wordlessly denied the opportunity to call their protectors by the most precious title any child could grant an adult.

She kissed the soft head of the youkai child and frowned. She really did feel terrible! They fell into a long silence again - child and adult both still clinging to eachother.

* * *

They must have fallen asleep at some point, but Kishino wasn't worried when she woke to find the sun rising. Her protective barrier around the small campsite would keep anyone with ill-intent out – anything from human to youkai and whatever inbetween, so she wasn't worried about their safety. Sleeping safely had never been an issue.

What DID worry her, once she shook the sleep from her mind, was the flaring aura behind her. She turned her head – SLOWLY – and her eyes landed on the fox demon from earlier, Shippou. He was sitting on a large log just across from the firepit. HE had gotten through. Ok, that meant he was no real threat, even though he seemed on the verge of going feral...

That's what caught her attention the most; the fact that his eyes were rimmed with red. He didn't move from his spot on the other side of the glowing embers, he merely glared quietly at her – which was the most unnerving thing she had experienced in a while. She was used to youkai glaring at her, but this was Shippou…

She opened her mouth to say something, but a low growl interrupted her and made her think twice about it.

She carefully pried herself away from the sleeping seal-cub and sat up, no sudden movements made, nice and easy. She shifted her legs up under herself until she had pushed herself up into a crouching position - for now keeping her eyes set on him, though purposefully avoiding gazing directly at his face.

As her wary gaze rested on the kitsune, his glare was locked on her - eyes unblinking.

She slid one leg out to the side and that's when she saw him shift. She stilled her movements immdiately. His whole form was tense - agitation and pain was rolling off his aura in waves, making her flinch slightly at the intensity. The female let her torso gracefully follow the line of her outstretched leg, and with fluid motion shifted herself around the firepit - repeating the action until she was but a few feet away from him.

With carefully thought-through precision Kishino came to a stop in front of the agitated kitsune. She was well versed in how to behave around agitated, wounded and even feral youkai. She was following her own instincts as she made her approach.

He snarled a warning at her, and she lowered her head slightly. A growl rumbled deep in his chest, his eyes were slowly bleeding more red until they nearly glowed. His youkai-beast was dangerously close to the surface, and Kishino realised that if she did anything to displease the beast right now he might attack her, and worse – Tsuren. This was not Shippou, the small kit, from her past. This was the adult, very strong and, at the moment, very dangerous Shippou.

She took her time, manoeuvring her body into a kneeling position in front of the youkai, and very slowly - bared her throat to him. Words would do nothing for him at the moment, but gestures might…she hoped.…she REALLY hoped she was right! With her vulnerable neck exposed to him, she gave the beast within the submission it craved.

Some painstakingly long moments later a scoff reached her ears, and as she finally dared turn her gaze back to Shippou she discovered that his eyes were back to normal.

Her legs gave way from the wave of relief that washed over her, and she promptly fell back onto her ass, daring to breathe again after the tense moments.

"Twenty years…" Shippou's voice was rough, his tone bitter.

"Ten of which you have spent walking this land!" He grabbed her left arm and pulled her up so they were face to face.

Her eyes were wide, but she made no sound – she did not fear him. She had never feared youkai, even when her life had been in danger. She didn't fear death, didn't fear pain. He could sense a slight apprehension in her aura, however, but he knew it was not for her own sake. His emerald eyes darted to the small child sleeping by the fire. She feared for HIM!

The arm he clenched in his hand trembled, and his attention was brought back to her face. Her brows had knitted together slightly - like they always did when she was debating with herself whether she should speak or keep her mouth shut.

He waited.

She usually spoke.

And finally – it should be said that he WAS a VERY patient fox, but waiting for her words right now was driving him close to the edge of what he could handle.

"I know." Her voice, speaking to him. Two words.

…and that was all.

He blinked at her – what?! That's it? Was that all?!

She drew her right shoulder - the one NOT attached to the arm he currently had in a tight grasp - up to her ear in an awkward shrug.

"You all thought I was either dead or back in my era anyway…didn't you?" she continued, eyes sparkling as she worked up the nerve to defend her choices. She had a nagging feeling she would need to.

Shippou listened.

"I fulfilled my duty! We got rid of Naraku! I helped you avenge your loved ones. Inuyasha had Kikyou back, Miroku will never be swallowed by the wind-tunnel, Sango could lay her brother to rest…and I paid off my debt to Lord Sesshoumaru by taking that arrow!"

He growled at her – but this time she growled back, and he released her arm abruptly at the sting of her powers against his palm. He sensed a powerful barrier go up around them, probably to shield the child from the increasing volume of their discussion.

"I was SHOT, Shippou!" A finger poked at his chest.

"BUT YOU LIVED!"

"I did not _*poke*_ MEAN _*poke*_ or INTEND _*poke*_ to leave you! _*poke poke*_ It pained me EVERY day to be away from you, you were my son!"

"Ever more reason to have returned to me, wouldn't you think!?" He snapped bitterly, baring his sharp canines at her in a dark sneer.

"I wanted to, Shippou!" She threw her arms out in an exasperated manner, her own ire rising to the surface.

"When my new family caught rumours of the Western Lord taking a kitsune kit under his protection, I knew it was you…and I...just…" her stormy blue eyes glazed over at that moment, the spark in the blue orbs died down before only a blank dullness remained. He heard her breath hitch.

"He could provide for you better than I could. You needed someone to teach you the youkai ways, and as a human from the future I couldn't…Kagome couldn't…"

She shrugged again. Shippou just stared.

"Kagome was not of this time. Kagome was an awkward human who wasn't of this time. Kagome knew nothing of youkai customs, rites of passage, training, honing of youkai-powers…Kagome did not belong in this world…"

Kishino gave Shippou a blank stare, seeing his eyebrow arch arrogantly – he didn't think too highly of her explanation, apparently.

"I lived ten years away from the surface of the world, Shippou-SAMA!"

Back to honorifics, huh?

He clenched his fists.

"I needed my mother!"

"I KNOW! Do you think I haven't thought about this before!?" The volume of her voice rose.

"Many things happened in those first ten years! I did not lie when I said I thought about you every day, but I also knew I had to let you go in order to be able to move forwards with my own life. You were safe! That's what mattered! You're not the only one who didn't get to see your mother again…."

The last few words were just a whisper, but his keen hearing caught it anyway.

"The well closed…." Shippou frowned, and she nodded. Of course HE knew, but he hadn't been sure if she had known.

"That may be so, but...you STILL should've let me know you were alive!" The three-tailed kitsune rose to his feet, trying to remain angry, because he WAS! Angry!

"WHY!?" She lost control for a moment, this time shrieking the harsh question at him, making him cringe visibly. His sensitive hearing was his handicap right now. S

"I guess I shoulda jumped into view, flailed my arms, done the jazz-hands, tapped my feet and yelled 'ta-daaaaa'!"

She glared heatedly at him, and he returned the glare with passion.

"THAT woulda made things better?" She continued, in the same tone. His eyes narrowed.

"That woulda made it alright?! You could move on with your life thinking I was either dead, or home - in both cases you could believe I had found peace! I've not stayed away just to be mean! Do you think you would've been where you are today had I not chosen to let you find your new life on your own without me!?"

His mouth opened to reply, but he quickly shut it again. Had Kagome not disappeared...

He grit his teeth in frustration. True, he wouldn't have been taken in by Sesshoumaru hadn't Kagome disappeared. Damnit! He wouldn't have been pushed through the excessive training, wouldn't have forced his growth. Wouldn't have gone through the hundreds of hours of meditation, trials and errors...

Perhaps he wouldn't have grown in strength as rapidly as he had. Maybe he wouldn't have had his three tails. Maybe he wouldn't have gotten the chance to fall in love with Rin, or mate her, or have a child on the way...

But still... He'd wanted his mother...

"Kishino fits into this world, Shippou..." He noticed her hand draw nearer to his face. He really, REALLY wanted to pull away - but her palm carefully pressed against his cheek before he could, her thumb tracing the forest green stripe that graced his cheekbone.

"I am sorry for the pain I caused you...I will always live with the regret, but seeing you now..." she hesitated for a moment, and he waited with a small frown on his brows. He wanted to remain angry with her! Why was she making it so difficult to remain angry?

"I am so, SO proud of you, Shippou..."

* * *

"Kishino-sama?"

"...yeah?"

"Why is the fox-man following us?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?"

"He's scary..."

Kishino's eyebrow twitched slightly in amusement before she shifted the young boy from her back to carry him on her hip instead.

"Shippou-sama promised to see us safely to the beach, Tsuren."

"Can he swim?"

Kishino chuckled; a deep, rich and melodious sound - then set the youkai child down on the ground so he could walk for a while. She proceeded to stretch her arms above her head and crane her spine, causing both youkai to grimace at the sound of popping bone-joints.

Shippou studied his former mother-figure as they walked. She had her hair tied back in a loose plat. The length of her hair, even when tamed like that, reached to her lower back. There was something about the way she held herself; with dignity and grace. She was confident in herself and her abilities, and highly aware of everything around her.

He had counted at least four different weapons on her person - the longbow, the short bow, the katana and the battle staff. He thought he had spotted the silver handle of a small dagger in the kid's satchel, and there was possibly more weapons concealed within that white haori. She obviously mastered all those four weapons...she'd had time to practice. His eyes narrowed. Plenty of time...

Things werefar from alright between himself and her. There was still a great ammount of hurt and unanswered questions on his side, but as Tsuren had awakened at the right time, he had settled with what answers he had been given. For now.

As Kishino and Tsuren had prepared to leave for 'the beach', he had offered to join them - for extra protection, not quite ready to let the woman out of his sight just yet.

A small tug to his sleeve caused him to forget about his musings, and he glanced down at the small whitehaired boy. Those big dark brown, soulful eyes drew him in, and he smiled without realising it.

"Shippou-sama, do you swim?"

"I do, very well actually..."

"I swim well too! Better than Kishino-sama!"

"Hey!" An indignant, yet playful retort sounded from the figure walking in the front.

Shippou smirked.

"Anyone can swim better than your Kishino-sama, I'm sure."

A small pebble hit him square between his eyes and he glanced ahead to the female, noticing her left hand retreating to her side after obviously flicking the tiny rock at him.

"I'm an honorary seal, I'll have you know!" She huffed. Honestly!

Tsuren dared another tug at Shippou's sleeve, and chewed on his bottom lip and held his hands up tentatively. A child's peace-offering. Shippou looked around discretely before he picked the small child up and placed him on his shoulders, understanding the gesture, and once he was sure the small child was secure he carefully held on to the boy's legs while small hands tangled into his long red hair.

"Shippou-sama?" Tsuren leaned in close to the bigger male's ear and whispered in a close to inaudible tone.

"Hm?" Shippou turned his head ever so slightly to the slight sound, barely catching his name from the boy's lips.

"Kishino-sama loves you."

 _Damn, kid..._ Shippou thought, frowning deeply now.

 _Direct shot to the heart..._

"Hn..." he managed to reply, and returned his attention to the road ahead.

Nine hours had passed since Kagome re-entered his life after twenty years absence...and the minutes kept ticking.


	4. Once it was Me

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

~~~O~~~

 _ **A**_ **.N.:** _ **Hello, I am NoctusLegacy! Or just Noctus if you will...and I am the LEAST logical person I know! :)**_

 _ **When I write stories, I know basically only two things; What I want the story to start with, and what I want the story to end with - everything inbetween I pull out of my magic hat as I type, I have no formed ideas of what's going to take place in each chapter. I'm a 'spur of the moment' kind of writer... XD**_

 _ **I am also the kind who write for my own peace of mind's sake - I understand my own logic, which is good enough for me, but I know it can be confusing for those not familiar with me, or my style of writing. I mainly write the type of story I, myself, would enjoy reading. Comments and reviews are incredibly welcome! I enjoy having things pointed out to me, it helps me see other people's logic, but in the far end - how the story progresses relies completely on what my mind says goes... :P**_

 _ **This is the fourth chapter, yeah, just down below this far from interesting introduction.**_

 _ **I do read the reviews; some of them has given me ideas for some, perhaps, much needed explanations that should be coming up in later chapters, like: WHY did THAT happen, and HOW did THAT happen!? Don't worry, there will be confusion reigning for some time, but I'll try to make things more clear as I merrily type away.**_

 _ **I don't plan ahead...and that makes the story as much of an adventure for myself as I hope it will be for the readers. If things make little sense at this moment, you'll just have to wait. I'm working on knitting things together as I go ;)**_

 _ **This is a completely whim-driven fanfic. Meaning: I write based on a keyword, or an instant thought dropping into my head. Some things might not make sense, at all, ever...but I will try to incorporate outside logic to my illogical logic as long as it doesn't completely mock up the story-plot I don't really have... (That sounded so much cooler in my head than in actual written words, I do apologise...)**_

 _ **What I'm TRYING to say is; bare with me... XD Now on to the story:**_

~~~O~~~

* * *

 **CHAPTER FOUR - ONCE IT WAS ME**

* * *

Evening fell on the group of three. The fire had died down into glowing embers, and the remains from their meal were tossed into the heated pit for easy disposal - they didn't want to wake up in the morning with the stench of fish-remains hanging in the air.

"Kagome..." Shippou threw a quick glance at the female, noticing how she tensed for a brief moment upon hearing her original name uttered by someone other than herself. Shippou still had questions that he wanted - _needed_ \- answered!

Shoulders slumped as the woman turned slightly towards him, she turned her head, and her eyes stared directly at him. She waited.

"What happened after you...fell?"

She tensed up again, proceeding to rub the back of her neck with her left hand. A small grimace crossed her features and her eyes shifted rapidly. Shippou realised she was trying to come up with a way to get out of this. Why did she seem so hesitant to talk about this? This was important to him!

Before he could stop himself he found his own hand reaching for hers, and he clasped it firmly between his palms and refused to let go.

"Kagome, I need to know..."

He heard the deep inhale of air, then the slow exhale - like she was mentally preparing herself for something.

"When I fell..." she scoffed a quiet chuckle, biting her lip and tilting her head back so she could look up at the sky.

Shippou leaned in closer, his emerald eyes intense. He desired this piece of information more than anything right now. He would not allow for her to brush him off! He could see her gaze grow distant, and recognised the look in her eyes - she was remembering, and he knew he would get her story.

"I hit the water, obviously." She started slowly.

"I sank. I was bleeding, I was hurting, I was panicking. Everything around me felt cold, and it was dark, SO dark. The currents tore at my body, dragging me down and pushing me out to sea at a frightening speed. I was so sure I was living my final moments..." Her eyes had darkened as the memories flooded her mind.

Shippou remained quiet. Silently urging her to go on.

"My air ran out fast, I felt the burn in my lungs and I knew I would drown, that I had no more time left. I've never been so scared! It felt like a lifetime of fright, but in truth I probably wasn't submerged under water more than ten seconds, but that's long enough for unprepared lungs and a panic-stricken mind."

She finally tore her eyes from the sky and glanced to the adult version of the kitsune she'd loved so dearly. A saddened smile ghosted over her lips.

"Anyway...what I remember next is a bright flash. I don't know if my eyes were open or if they were shut, but I know there was a flash of light - and suddenly I knew I would be alright...but I don't remember what happened right after the flash. The next thing I remember is waking up in an underwater cavern, laying on a pile of seaweed, surrounded by seals..."

"Tsuren's clan?" Shippou asked, and she nodded.

"I had no recollection of being brought there, I knew nothing after the flash of light. I was alive - which was a relief...and warm, and safe. The arrow in my chest was gone, and my wound was healing. In order to provide warmth for me the seals had huddled up around me...caring for me like I was one of their own..."

She rubbed the back of her neck again, finding the right words to describe her memories to Shippou.

"Imagine my shock and embarrassment when they, one by one, started transforming into humanoids. Youkai seals, who'd have ever guessed, right!? ...and I was naked. Yup, in the middle of a cluster of seal-youkai...handsome men and beautiful women, all around me. Their healer approached me once I'd stopped screaming. She handed me a blanket woven from seaweed so I could cover myself and brought me with her into a smaller cavern where I could have some privacy...she fed me, and checked my wound..."

Kishino pulled her hand from Shippou's, blinking her eyes back into focus, and offered him a small smile.

"I had been unconscious for nearly seven days..."

She reached behind her and grabbed a few pieces of dry wood which she placed onto the embers. She stared at the firepit until flames slowly began licking around the logs, rubbing her hands together - using the friction as a distraction until she caught the kitsune staring at her expectantly through the corner of her eye.

"It took me about an hour before I became aware of the absence of the Shikon no Tama. Now THAT was, literally, like having a bucket of ice water poured over my head. I'll tell you; I was close to hysterical! Had I dropped it? Had they taken it? Had I wished on it before passing out? I threatened to purify every soul in that cave, I was out of my mind!"

She chuckled darkly.

"So...on my first day awake I ended up with four seals having to hold me down while the healer force-fed me a sedating brew..."

Shippou watched with interest as her face became stoic and calm, but the emotions danced in her eyes for all to see.

"As I rested, I got my answers, or...at least SOME answers. Dream or hallucination, I don't know, and I don't care. I spoke with Midoriko-sama. She told me the Shikon was not lost, it had not been taken, it still existed - but it could no longer be accessed by myself or anyone else. It was finally safe."

"What happened to it?" Shippou whispered, and Kishino shook her head slowly. Ok, how to explain that one.

"You're looking at 'it'..." she muttered dryly, after some thought, pointing at herself and managing a small ironic smirk when she saw his baffled expression.

"After giving the healer my story, telling her of the dream I'd had while the sedating brew made me sleep, she came up with the theory that the Shikon must have acted on its own in some way. It chose to protect its protector...or something along those lines, and fused into my body."

"Won't someone be able to take it out of you again, like Mistress Centipede did?" the fox tilted his head. If so, then there could be major trouble up ahead.

"Ah, I don't think so...it's not like it's laying dormant inside me, you see... It's in my blood, my bones, my heart, my flesh...it's not so much a Jewel anymore, more like an 'essence'..."

"So...that's the reason you're 'immune to time'..." Shippou's eyes flashed, now it made a little more sense as to why she'd said what she'd said!

"Kinda..." Kishino shrugged her shoulders.

"I mean, I don't know if it's the Shikon that did THAT... Kaguya said the same once, didn't she? Or something along those lines...so it might just be my own weirdness that keeps me from ageing. I can't even get 'normal human' right!" A wistful sigh escaped her lips.

"Yeah, you always were a strange one..." Shippou rubbed his chin, grinning slightly when she initiated contact by giving his shoulder a light shove.

"You're taller..." he turned his head up to the sky above, staring at the clouds that lazily drifted across the darkening sky. It was just an observation on his part.

"You're older." She retorted without hesitation, and he grinned fully this time, but he was not moving his gaze from the sky.

"That I am..." his voice but a murmur in the night.

"Care to elaborate on that, Shippou?" She rested her head in her left hand as her elbow perched on her left knee, her gaze rested on the fox youkai.

"Another time, Kagome..."

"Kishino."

"Hm?"

"Kishino is my name now. I left Kagome behind in the water..."

"About that..." Shippou's emerald eyes finally left the night sky and his sharp gaze locked on the female sitting not far from him and she tilted her head, chewing gently on her lower lip while she pondered how to explain.

"Kagome was not of this era. Perhaps Kishino isn't either, but at least Kishino has been formed by, and formed IN, this time and place..."

"Hn. You sound nothing like Kagome anymore, you know. You are far too well-spoken! I'd have been fooled had I not known your scent."

Shippou smirked playfully, hoping to gain a response of sorts, but he still jumped slightly in surprise when she laughed brightly at his statement. The sound rolled freely between hitched breaths, wonderfully melodious, clear as a bell - and it took a good few minutes for her to calm herself enough to only grin mirthfully at the kitsune.

"Oh, Kami - Shippou! Did you expect me to have remained a fumbling, blushing teen?" She arched an eyebrow, noticing the look on his face.

"You did! Come on! Humans age fast, both in body and mind, Shippou. While I'm deprived of the physical ageing, my mind HAS matured. I've seen and experienced things no other human from the future ever will and I harbour absolutely NO fairytale illusions about the world anymore...I've grown up." She sniggered, and he actually had the decency to blush now.

Yeah, well...when she put it like that...

"I still can't believe you're THE Kishino Hito..." he muttered, changing the subject.

"Hey, why is that so hard to believe!?" She tried to sound insulted, but the twinkle in her stormy irises told him she wasn't, not really.

"It's just...all the things you've done, what you've accomplished! Your fearlessness, your bold and daring tactics! One rumour says you can FLY! Your powers surpass any other priest or miko known through the ages! Your aid is most sought after by human Lords as well as youkai Lords! Is it the Shikon that's made you so powerful?"

Kishino wrinkled her nose slightly at his words, and shrugged her shoulders, again.

"Yeah, I can't fly. I'll tell you about that later... As to the Shikon...I've no concrete clue to whether or not it's influencing my powers. It might be that my own, true powers were dormant - sealed away within my soul, and that the Shikon unlocked my full potential when it became part of my very being. I was most likely never supposed to be able to tap into my powers at all, as my original time didn't require for them to be used..."

The female rested her head in her hand and stared at the fire, appearing to sink into deep thoughts. Shippou opened his mouth to prod a little further, but she spoke again without his spur;

"...but I won't discard the _possibility_ of the Shikon adding to my own powers, that would just be foolish and completely disrespectful. It IS a part of me now, after all."

She fell silent, a frown now marring her features. Shippou nodded slowly, sensing that the subject was closing up for now he leaned back and resumed studying the sky. He still had more questions - but his curiosity was sated for the time being. Besides, pushing to learn more right now would result in irritation on her part...

Next to him, Kishino shifted down to lay close to Tsuren, her arms wrapping protectively around the small boy.

The kitsune studied their forms through the corner of his eye. Once it had been HIM who had rested in her protective embrace...

* * *

Kishino pulled her soaked hair back and collected it on top of her head. Expert hands swirled a thick strap of leather around the masses of hair, tying a hard knot once she was done. With the jet black locks now tamed and kept in a high ponytail she could focus on redressing. She'd left Tsuren in Shippou's care while she bathed, trusting that the kitsune took the responsibility seriously.

Her trousers were quickly pulled on and tucked into her boots, then she moved on to wrapping thick and durable black linen around her chest. It was done quickly and efficiently - something that had been done a thousand times before. Once she was sure the linens were tight enough and fastened securely, she leaned over to the hot water and pulled up a large rectangular piece of what looked to be leather. It had been soaking along with her. The leather was long enough to go around her entire torso and would cover her chest and upper abdomen once in place. Each short end had holes through it.

Critical eyes studied the piece before she laid it out on one of the rocks by the side of the heated water. Fishing out a small vial from a satchel that she'd brought with her, Kishino poured the content of the vial into her one of her hands, and spread it between her palms before she 'massaged' it into the wet leather. The substance was the balm that would block her female scent and was a critical part of her bathing routine.

Once she was satisfied that she'd gotten it all worked into the leather, she wiped her hands over her neck, behind her ears, across her collarbone and around her wrists, spreading the remaining balm across her skin. Then she quickly got to her feet and wrapped the leather chestpiece around herself. It closely resembled a corset, if one should compare it to more modern clothing.

The rope was skillfully woven in and out through the matching holes on the other side of the piece, starting at the bottom and lacing upwards - and with great force Kishino closed the chestpiece. She wheezed slightly at the pressure, but she was so used to it she couldn't even find it in heself to find it bothersome anymore. She had now finished binding her chest. It took some time, but it was a necessary evil in order to live freely. She ran her hands down her now flat and firm torso, checking it over. Since the leather was wet and would dry up while on her body - it automatically formed to fit perfectly.

The leather was attained from a boar-youkai she'd slain eight years ago. A mindless beast youkai that had wrecked havoc through many human villages in the south. She had been in need of a light, but durable material, and it was perfect. She'd rinsed it by hand, cured it, and pushed her reiki into it to weave into the faint remaining youki of the boar making it practically undestructible. The armour had been a life-saver in many battles since then.

Satisfied with the result, she then grabbed the rest of her clothes - the black turtleneck jumper was pulled over her head, then her black and silver obi was tied around her waist. The quiver of long arrows were swiftly flung onto her back, the long bow following suit, the katana fastened to the obi by her left hip, the quiver of short arrows strapped to her right thigh and the short bow clenched into her left hand.

* * *

"Kishino-sama!"

Kishino spared no thoughts to the calling of his name, merely reacted the way his instincts told him to. He quickly held out his arms, dropping the short bow in the process, and caught the seal-cub as he fell from the tree-branch above his head.

How the...? Kishino looked up, eyes narrowing upon spotting Shippou sitting further up in the tree; waving down at him with a big wicked grin on his face.

"You don't like heights, Tsuren..." Kishino turned his gaze back to the boy, studying his ward's face - the round, brown eyes shone with excitement.

"Shippou-sama taught me to climb! I'm youkai! He said a fall from a tree wouldn't hurt me! Isn't that amazing, Kishino-sama!?" The boy was buzzing with adrenaline, more or less vibrating in his arms.

"Collect your satchel, Tsuren. It's time to continue our journey." Kishino placed his ward down on the ground and ruffled his hair.

"You did good in getting that high up on your first tree-climbing day..." he reassured the little boy when he saw the worried and slightly upset expression crossing the seal youkai's features. He quickly caught on to how important this was to the child. Climbing trees meant he was a big boy!

Instantly the boy's mood brightened and he ran towards the fire to get his satchel. Kishino shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. He shifted the satchel hanging over his own shoulder while leaning down to pick up his bow.

"You're afraid I'm gonna tell you off, aren't you?" He called cheerfully to the kitsune, who exhaled in relief and swung himself down in one graceful move.

"Tiny bit..." The fox admitted with a cocky smile, and the warrior-priest scoffed, instead patting the kitsune's shoulder before passing him and heading towards the firepit to pick up his battle staff.

"One day's march, now, Tsuren, then we'll be home..."

* * *

Left arm up. Block. Step back. Spin around. Right arm down. Block. Step back. Jump. Swipe up with right arm. Strike. Duck. Roll. On his back. Both arms up to protect face. Left knee up. Keep opponent away. Right leg hooking behind opponent's knee. Push up with arms. Flare of powers. Flip up to feet while grabbing short arrow. Notch arrow. Fire. Bullseye!

Kishino wheezed while glancing down at Shippou on the ground, a small smirk gracing his features. He was slightly out of breath, but nowhere near exhausted. The youkai lay flat on his back, staring wide-eyed at his victorious opponent.

"Damnit, Ka...Kishino...that was six seconds!"

"SIX?! ...I'm getting old!" Kishino moaned, leaning down and yanking the arrow from Shippou's shoulder, the holding spell disappeared and the fox sat up, rubbing the tender joint.

"How come it didn't impale me?"

"I didn't mean for it to impale or kill, only hold you in place" was the quick reply Kishino offered before turning to walk back to camp.

Shippou's eyebrows rose in surprise, then settled back into a serious scowl. The warrior-priest got a total of three steps towards camp before the youkai was on his back and pushing him down, sharp claws pressing warningly at the side of the ambushed priest's neck.

"Some may find this an easier and faster way to hold opponents down!"

Kishino grunted, choosing not to respond at that given time unless he wanted to fill his mouth with grass and dirt.

Satisfied he got at least one up on the warrior-priest, Shippou moved off and stretched. They had been sparring for close to an hour after lunch. They were quite evenly matched in power - though Shippou suspected Kishino had held back a great deal.

"Kishino-sama!" Tsuren waved, a bright smile on his face, as Kishino and Shippou returned to the simple camp.

"Did you kick Shippou-sama's butt?"

Kishino blinked, as did Shippou, and the kitsune slowly leaned over to the other adult.

"Been slipping up with the use of language in the company of the child, have you?" he snickered mischievously.

"Oh come on, _b-u-t-t_ is HARDLY the worst word a child learns...as long as he doesn't hear or repeat any of the other words I let slip sometimes..." Kishino's eyes shifted, clearing his throat lightly.

"Let's get going, shall we?"

Tsuren fell in next to his protector as they started walking, and Shippou noticed the boy and the priest exchange looks, and the priest mouthing 'I totally kicked his butt'! The boy giggled in response and grabbed Kishino's hand, waving it back and forth happily as they went.

Shippou watched the interlocked hands of the odd pair walking in front of him, a small scowl on his face as he tried to figure out why it bothered him so much...

Once it had been HIS hand in hers...

* * *

"Thank you for escorting us here..." Kishino murmured quietly to the kitsune next to her, watching her seal-cub run back and forth in the shallow water, squealing with joy. The day's travel was over. They'd reached the beach just as the sun started to set, casting long shadows around them.

There was a tension in the air between the adults again...

"Don't mention it..." Shippou replied in an equally quiet, but slightly gruffer tone, arms folded into the sleeves of his haori.

"How long do you plan to stay here?" he kept his eyes on her, trying to read her body language, but finding it nearly impossible.

He kept thinking about what she'd been like in the past, and kept comparing it to her current self - there were so many differences: In the past she'd been an overly emotional creature, wearing her heart on her sleeves, speaking before thinking, reckless, but brave...Loving, doting and recklessly trusting.

This creature next to him was calm, collected, her emotions in check, her words well chosen, calculating, cunning, experienced...

She was someone completely different from the person he'd known in the past - yet she was still the same in so many ways. It confused him, and frustrated him!

Kishino shrugged and gnawed on her lower lip for a small moment as she thought about her answer.

"Few weeks, a month at most...we've not seen our family in three years, so leaving too soon would be terrible..."

Shippou bit back the bitter remark that wanted to force it's way out of his mouth right then.

'I'VE not seen you in twenty years, yet you're leaving ME so soon!'

He grit his teeth and nodded curtly, turning around on his heel and preparing to head back to the Western Castle.

"Shippou-sama?" He stopped when Kishino called his name. What now?

He heard the shuffle of weapons being discarded and falling to the ground, then a pair of arms locked around his waist from behind. A face buried into his back and he heard her take a deep inhale of his scent. He shuddered, then spun around and caught her in his arms, wrapping them tightly around her.

"Just Shippou, Kagome...to you, I'll always be Shippou..." he whispered, burying his face into the black hair.

"I'll come back here in two weeks..." She just nodded against his shoulder.

"Ok, we'll be here..." She replied to him, her voice thick with emotion.

Deciding against lingering, Shippou stepped back, gave her a level look, smiled slightly, then disappeared.

Kishino let her arms drop to her sides, hands opening and clenching a couple of times.

 _'I still love you, Shippou!'_ she wanted to shout after him.

 _'You're still my kit in my heart...'_


	5. Two weeks, Shippou

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

~~~O~~~

 **A.N.:** _**Ello! Thank you for all the favourites and follows, guys! And thank you for commenting and asking questions! Like I've pointed out before; I write stories and chapters on a whim. Nothing's planned out ahead - so the ideas I get and add into the story might not have an answer YET...but that does not mean I'm not aware of the missing links ^_^ The most important thing, I find, is that the story is fun (for me) to type up.**_

 _ **I want the story to work out and make sense, of course, so that is why every chapter will link into the previous chapter while moving forwards (sometimes it might be moving sideways, depends on the wind...)**_

 _ **I promise I am working on answering the shadowy areas...just gotta get my flashlight...and possibly make a quick trip to the shops...brb.**_

 _ **ALSO! Updates will for most parts happen during weekends as I have a busy and demanding job on weekdays *grumble* Thought you should know... XD**_

~~~O~~~

* * *

 **CHAPTER FIVE - TWO WEEKS, SHIPPOU**

* * *

 _"The miko is no longer here to coddle you, kit! From now on, you will be trained in the ways of a warrior, if you fall behind you WILL be left behind!"_

The Western Lord's words still rang in his ears to this day, even after 19 years. Shippou sat in his room at the Western Castle, legs crossed, right arm resting ontop of a large pillow. His right hand tugged at strands of his auburn red hair - a habit he had when he let his thoughts roam and stray from the reality of the present.

**FLASHBACK**

 _The change he'd gone through in order to reach adulthood had scarred him for the rest of his very long life. The death of Kagome had been devastating to him as a small kit - as he had been heavily depending on his adopted mother for protection, shelter, warmth, comfort...and love. He hadn't realized just how much until she was gone._

 _After he had been taken into the cold care of the Lord of the West, he had no other option than force his own growth in order to survive. That, and he couldn't afford losing any others he cared for because he couldn't protect them._

 _So, with the aid of instincts deeply embedded in all youkai from birth, Shippou forced his body to grow. Instincts told him how to draw on the raw power from his own soul, calling forth the powers that lay dormant until he was older to aid his current power, and in massive bursts of youki his body had transformed._

 _The pain had nearly been enough to kill him - bones extended rapidly, muscles expanded and tendons stretched to accumulate the fast ageing. His baby-teeth fell out as the bones in his jaw shifted and expanded to adult jaws, his head had felt as thought it was going to explode when adult teeth shot out from their hiding-place in the jawbones. His canines grew sharper, turning into vicious fangs, cutting into his tongue in the process, resulting in blood dripping down his chin. He'd later been told it had been a grotesque sight._

 _His eyesight sharpened, his sense of hearing intensified and his sense of smell grew keener - and his second tail protruded from the base of his spine. As his form shifted, his youki grew in strength to accommodate the larger form of the once-child, but even after he finished growing, bursts of youki flared around him. The pain clouded his mind, and the overwhelming intensity of his improved senses left him a feral mess - he'd lost himself to his beast when he couldn't handle the pain anymore, as the beast knew better how to cope with its primal instincts._

 _It had taken Sesshoumaru nearly three hours to fully subdue the crazed kitsune._

 _He had then spent the next week in what his once-mother would've called a 'coma' while his mind caught up with his now matured body. It was excruciating, he felt the pain that tore at every muscle, every fiber, every joint of his body, unconsciousness was no relief to him - it was torment._

 _He kept seeing Kagome as he slept...Several times he would find himself walking through a misty forest - everything around him was grey, lifeless. Once in a while he would see a golden glow and speed towards it. Every time he would run towards it. And every time she was sitting on a fallen log by a dying firepit. She was quietly watching him, smiling patiently at him, urging him to go on, telling him to be brave. He wanted so badly to go to her! He missed her! He loved her!...but every time he tried to approach her, he was stopped by an invisible barrier._

 _"This campsite is not for you, Shippou..." he'd seen her speak the words so many times now, but he never once heard the sound of her voice...He missed his mother's voice! He just wanted to hear her speak..._

 _Then one day, seven days after he'd been subdued, Shippou had woken up from his close-to-lifeless state. His mind was clear, and was perfectly attuned to his new physical age. And even though his body felt sore and tender, it did no longer hurt to the point of wincing upon movement. He was very aware of everything around him, and very aware of his own body. He had felt every hard muscle react as he tensed and relaxed - he was in complete control. ...or so he had thought until he got tested by Sesshoumaru in the dojo the next day. Man, did he have A LOT to learn about control..._

**END FLASHBACK**

He inhaled deeply as the memories receded and gave way for reality. Sunrise. He'd been lost in thought for a long time. The images kept running through his mind, replaying themselves. They had done so repeatedly since he returned to the Western Castle - it was hard to snap out of.

Shippou sighed heavily and looked to his side. A small smile tugged at his lips at the sight of his sleeping mate, and he ran his hand over her silken brown hair. Not everything had been bad, though...

**FLASHBACK**

 _When he had awoken from his long, much needed, sleep, Sesshoumaru had not hesitated to test him in the dojo. The first few weeks he was a regular appearance in the Healer's Wing - the old goat hadn't liked him very much and had constantly complained about how he used up all her herbs and linen bandages...like he did it on purpose!_

 _The next five years he practically lived in the dojo. He underwent intense combat training - his teachers were two of Sesshoumaru's Generals and Sesshoumaru himself, so he knew they weren't playing - he STILL had PROOF they weren't playing...yeah, those scars wouldn't just disappear in a decade - Sesshoumaru had said they'd make good reminders to always watch his back and never trust an opponent to play fair._

 _It was always about surviving. Survive till the next day, then the next, then the next. It was a really difficult time. He was pushed to his limits, and sometimes beyond. His body had literally been kick-started into the amounts of power he now held, he realized he'd never really given any thought to how much self discipline it took to remain in charge of said power..._

 _His respect for the taiyoukai grew as he realized more and more about his own powers and as he was trained in their use and explored what he could do...like; he had, accidentally, lit the dojo on fire with his foxfire a total of five times, two times causing it to burn to the ground. After that he was urged to practice outdoors, away from buildings... His new and improved foxfire was potent and lethal, burning hotter and longer than normal fire - and like Sesshoumaru, he could wield his foxfire like a burning whip (that one took some serious training, resulting in a big area of the nearby forest burning down). His illusions held longer, became more lifelike - he could alter his own appearance and form without blinking. He could step through shadows to reach another location, and transform himself to his fox-form._

 _Rin became a welcome distraction in his otherwise busy days during this time - She brought him food and made sure he ate, even if he wasn't hungry. She brought him updates on what went on in the Castle just to distract him from the dire training back at the dojo. She made him smile, made him laugh. Yes, Rin was a very welcome distraction._

 _Three more years passed, and Rin grew into a woman, Shippou really couldn't help but fall in love with her. Even though she was at the proper age for marrying, for a human, she never showed interest in said subject - which gave him hope. Upon learning that she had feelings for him in return, that being her reason for not wanting to be married, he didn't even blink an eye as he asked permission to court her. Rin, of course, accepted immediately!_

 _...Breaking it to Sesshoumaru had NOT been...fun._

 _The dojo was one bloody mess after the Lord of the West was through with the younger youkai male._

 _When he woke up in the Healer's Wing, the sour old goat was having tea with Rin. Turned out that he had, indeed, proven himself to Sesshoumaru and they had received his blessing to court...though he felt more like a throw-rug than a potential mate at that moment..._

 _He learned, many months later, that Rin had - for the first time - raised her voice to her Lord after he nearly killed him in the dojo. In defending him, SHE had proven herself to the Lord as well. Funny that..._

 _During his and Rin's courtship, lord Sesshoumaru continuously tested the kitsune's skills, both physically and mentally. Physical combat, weapon and hand-to-hand, youki-control; manipulation and manifestation of his powers, and strategic planning in times of war and unsettlement._

 _Failing or slacking was never an option, and the fox excelled at the tasks he were given and the challenges he was faced with - he honestly did not dare fail his Lord. Shippou had been sent on missions with the Lord's generals, proving his worth and skill, and had eventually been allowed to patrol the Western borders. He'd become what he'd been told to become; a powerful kitsune, one who could protect himself and others, and it was around eight years after his transformation that he got his third tail - proving that he was, indeed, powerful._

 _Right before his and Rin's mating ceremony, Lord Sesshoumaru took them all by surprise in announcing Shippou as his chosen Heir. He'd shared his blood with the fox and upon doing so, tied Shippou to the House of the Moon, gave Shippou status as taiyoukai and branded the stripes along his cheeks and the Crescent moon upon his forehead._

 _Rin had turned eighteen summers when they mated, both of them were sure of their feelings, they had no doubts. They loved eachother and would not meet the future without the other by their side. They bound their souls together, Rin drank Shippou's blood, and Shippou placed his mating mark upon her neck in front of the Court - legalising their mating. He could sense that Sesshoumaru was somewhat pleased with this outcome. Rin's life was now tied to Shippou's, her ageing slowing to match her mate's. Sesshoumaru would not have to watch his ward grow old, he would not have to watch her fade away and die only to leave him with a memory. He knew she would always be safe. The kit had, after all, been trained by himself and his best men. And he had been an excellent student._

**END FLASHBACK**

Shippou stretched his legs before leaning down to nuzzle Rin's soft cheek - then he moved soundlessly away from the soft futon and went to the balcony. He rested his arms on the banister, looking out at the scenery below and beyond the Castle walls. His long red hair blew around him, gleaming in the light from the rising sun - creating an almost fiery halo around him.

They had been mated for nearly ten years. Not everything had been easy, but nothing ever was just a smooth ride, but, still, what a wonderful time it had been!

He was finding himself to be slightly troubled. In thee weeks there would be a grand gathering at the Western Castle to celebrate the day of Naraku's demise, and pay respect to the Miko who had played the key-role in vanquishing him.

Inuyasha would be coming, and Kikyou. Kouga and Ayame and their pack would make an appearance, even Totosai - and possibly Myoga if he dared. The other Youkai Lords would attend, and several others who had suffered by Naraku's hands - of course this was a youkai gathering, as the Lord didn't make a habit of surrounding himself with humans. The only exceptions being Sango and Miroku. They were welcome.

Shippou frowned deeply and grit his teeth as he felt all the torn emotions roll around in his chest. He didn't wish for this turmoil again - his life had been good! But every year...when they gathered at the Cliffs, watching the echo of that fateful day...(explanation later on), reminiscing together... The pain still felt fresh.

Twenty years. He hadn't been given the chance to say a final goodbye to her! Dead or back in her own time, it hadn't mattered...he had not been prepared to suddenly have to live on without her! She had been his mother! She still WAS...she would always BE... He remembered her love, her devotion, her fierce protectiveness, her warmth...even now the memory of her helped him feel at ease. She had taught him so much...

Kami, this was messed up...

He wanted to chuckle because at the moment he found it almost hilarious. His mother...his DEAD mother...had walked these lands for the past ten years - as a man.

A low chortle escaped him and he brought a clawed hand up to his mouth to still himself before he actually laughed.

He wondered...as another choked chuckle left him...what kind of trouble he would get into...if...he invited the warrior-priest to the gathering...

And what intrigued him even more; would anyone of Kagome's old companions see through her disguise as easily as he had?

He shifted and let his hands rest on the banister of the balcony. He hung his head slightly, letting his hair shield his face. Messed up. This was...messed up.

* * *

"You suggest bringing a human of unequalled holy powers to a gathering of youkai, kit?" Sesshoumaru's cold voice held, perhaps, a deeper sense of chill to it this morning at breakfast.

Shippou had carefully brought the subject forth - hoping not to have his tails cut off for daring to make such a suggestion.

"I believe he holds no grudges towards youkai, Sesshoumaru-sama. He does, after all, travel with a youkai child at his side, and seems to have been accepted as part of the seal-youkai clan. Not to mention that he has assisted youkai Lords as well as humans in the past as the rumours say. And all I know is that he would make an extraordinary enemy, so why not make him an ally instead?"

Sesshoumaru just gave him a cold glance, but Shippou returned the level gaze and then the Lord inclined his head.

"Hn." he replied, which Shippou translated to _'I shall meet with him and determine his worth by myself, kit. Bring him here before the rest gathers in three weeks'_.

"I will retrieve him, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Shippou inclined his head in turn. His tails remained as they were, thank Kami!

* * *

Two weeks went by as they always did. Shippou joined his Lord on patrols along the Western Borders, accompanied him in Council meetings, and represented the House of the Moon as he checked up on villages across the land to settle disputes and register how the harvests were coming along. These events were, of course, something Shippou really could do without, but he understood that it was part of his training to become Lord – even if it was a good millennia into the future...

So...The two weeks were up. He fastened his sword to his obi while his gaze grew distant – eyes staring blankly out the window. Today he would travel back to the beach. He would see HER again. He was determined to keep his cool this time, and behave in a dignified and restrained manner...

A pair of arms snaked around his waist from behind and he smiled despite his far-away thoughts. He placed his own hands over the much smaller feminine hands, rubbing gentle circles over her knuckles.

"Will you be alright while I'm gone?" He asked softly, receiving only a small giggle from the female behind him.

"I'll be well protected. Sesshoumaru-sama has invited this Rin to join him in the planning of the oncoming Gathering. Can you believe it's been twenty years already?"

Turning around in her embrace, Shippou cupped her face with his large hands, thumbs carefully running over her soft cheeks in a loving caress.

"Can you believe that even after twenty years you still refer to yourself in third person when speaking about, or to, your Lord?" he grinned cheekily when a blush spread across her face. Her eyes shifted slightly, so he had caught on to that, had he?

"Rin does it for her Lord…" she replied slowly.

"I am still his ward, even if I am grown, and mated. It's a way of reminiscing…between him and I…"

Her words brought a smile to his face. Her whole being was so endearing he sometimes felt his chest would burst. Leaning down he placed a kiss on her lips, smirking at the small jolt he felt course through her when one of his fangs grazed her lower lip.

"I love you. Always do what makes Rin Rin..." He murmured as he pulled back, his hands sliding through her silken brown hair, letting the long strands fall from between his fingers.

"I'll be back in a few days. I know you will bring many great ideas to the planning of the Twenty-year Gathering."

She sighed against him, nuzzling into his chest affectionately before she gently shoved him to the door.

"Safe journey, and swift return!" She chirped brightly at him as she in her own gentle way ushered him out the door while he playfully whined and protested against her manhandling him.

Three tight embraces, five nuzzles and twelve kisses later: Shippou was racing the wind in direction of the beach, he couldn't keep his heart from beating a little faster. Despite the hurt of the past - there was just something too special about seeing your mother again after a long time's absence...

His heart still loved, it was his head that held on to the hurt. Now, out on his own, he allowed himself a small slip of thought;

 _'I'm coming, mama...'_


	6. One week, Kagome

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

~~~O~~~

 **A.N.:** _ **Again; thank you to everyone who reads and reviews! I can't be bothered typing up my reasoning for writing what I do and why I do, as I have in the two previous chapters, it's all explained in my profile anyway if you have questions.. :P nur nur nur! ;)**_

 _ **So...weekend means more chapters! Hang on to your hats! ...no really, the wind is terrible...**_

* * *

 **CHAPTER SIX - ONE WEEK, KAGOME**

* * *

"Give that back, Gate!" Kishino growled, pointing her finger at a tall male seal youkai. Said youkai was holding a hand-made ball above his head, making the much shorter female jump in attempts to get it.

Kishino wore thin black hakamas, the bottom of the legs were tied around her ankles, and a short, lavender lilac kosode kept together with a black obi around her waist. This was comfortable beach-wear, something she would use when not dressed for travelling or fighting. Today was a casual day, after all.

"Why do you insist on calling me Gate, Kish?" he smirked cheekily down at her, and she huffed indignantly in response.

"Because you're as friggin' tall as a gate, and just about as wide! Gimme the ball! The children and I were playing!"

The seal, whose real name was Yolu, stood seven feet tall. His hair was a dark, dark grey with silver highlights. The silken hair reached down to his shoulderblades, and was most commonly kept back in a low ponytail. Unruly strands of hair framed his handsome, sharp lined face; with deep brown eyes perfectly spaced on either side of an elegant nose, finishing with a pointed yet slightly rounded chin. He had healthy tanned skin, broad shoulders, strong arms, and a wide and muscular chest.

Like the rest of the seals, when in humanoid shape and bereft of their protective blubber, he wore clothing as protection against the weather - today he was clothed in black hakamas and a simple grey kosode, with an open neckline to reveal his chest.

Yolu was the Clan-leader, he'd been chosen for the position when the last leaders, namely Tsuren's parents, were murdered almost eleven years ago. It was his job to protect the clan, to fight for them, hunt for them, and otherwise provide for them. It was his greatest responsibility to stay strong to be able to do all that. That, however, didn't mean he was above flaunting himself every once in a while. He was unmated, after all...for now...

Kishino, as a human, had never showed any kind of interest - let it be known he had tried a few times to attract her attention, but the woman was stubborn and refused to be lured. So instead they had become best friends, and that worked for him.

Yolu had been part of the scouting party that had found the young miko in the rigid waters so many years ago and brought her to the secret dens. He had taken it upon himself to protect her and keep her safe in the beginning - though sometimes she seemed more annoyed at his behaviour than grateful... He had not understood her need to be independent, but she had quickly put him in place. The memories of her yelling still made him cringe. The girl had a mouth on her, alright, and used words no females should know, and a temper that could send even the hardest of men running back to their mothers.

She was probably the only one who could kick his b-u-t-t as well...and she had - three times throughout the years - but only because he had deserved it.

" **HEY**!" the sharp voice penetrated his runaway thoughts, and he blinked slowly as he realised he was being prodded.

Casting a glance down he saw stormy blue eyes glaring heatedly up at him, and then he focused his gaze down to his own chest, where an angry index finger made rapid contact with his sternum. The skin was reddening, which meant she had to have been prodding for several minutes...

"Yoluuuu! Give. Me. The. Ball!" She hissed.

A crowd of children had gathered behind her, cheering on her as their champion in regards to regaining the withheld ball.

"This ball?" Yolu tilted his head and bounced said item in his large palm.

"...You're shitting me, right?" The female groaned angrily, rolling her eyes.

"YES! THAT ball!"

Kishino gasped when the large seal youkai drew his arm back. Oh no! She shook her head. No, no! He wouldn't dare!

With a wicked grin Yolu launched the ball as hard as he could muster through the air and it disappeared from sight somewhere down the beach, the children squealed in delight and spun on their heels to chase after it.

"Prick!" Kishino grumbled, crossing her arms as she turned around to try and see where the ball had gone.

"This is why we never play ball around you!" She muttered as she couldn't see it.

"Now, now, Kish..." Yolu purred in his deep, pleasant voice.

"Be a good little girl and go play with the kids. You got the ball back..."

She could hear the smugness, she didn't even need to see his face. Instead, she smirked, and spun around to face him. She wanted to laugh out loud when she saw the big male's smug expression falter. She only offered him her sweetest smile, which caused the expression on his face to change once more - he was wary.

"Thank you for returning the ball, Yolu-sama!" She cooed, her eyes glinting dangerously.

"I shall be sure to inform sweet Mion about your grand gesture..." she let that one hang in the air for a few seconds, watching as his expression went from wary, to suspicious, to straight out frightened.

"You wouldn't!" He feigned a hurt gasp, clutching a hand to his chest, staggering a few feet backwards as though she had slapped him. She merely rolled her eyes. He was playing again...

"Yeah, Mion is certain to hear about this..." She giggled, before she turned and ran down the beach towards the children. Her jet black hair swirling in a silken cloud behind her.

"Kishino! You will not!" She heard him yell, and she sped up - and from sensing his aura's quick approach from behind she knew he was chasing her.

Man, she was in for some sand-eating now! Mion was Yolu's mother, and despite her meek appearance, no one could set Yolu, or anyone else, in their place better than her - the female seal youkai was the scariest youkai on the planet when her temper flared ...She should know, she had seen her fair share of scary youkai throughout the years...

Mion was, by the way, also the Clan's healer, so naturally Kishino had developed a strong connection with her right from the start of her stay with the seals. She reminded her of Kaede in so many ways.

With some quick thinking and with help from her refined calculative skills, she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks and dropped flat into the sand. Yolu flew through the air above her, his attempt at body-tackling her had failed.

In a flash, Kishino was on her feet again, and grasped at the given opportunity to gain some distance. She ran across his broad back and made sure to push his head down into the sand with her foot before continuing her wild run across the beach, laughing brightly as she did.

Ahead of her she could see the children, they were just standing still, huddled together. Alarms went off in Kishino's head and she slowed her sprint so she was approaching them slowly. Something was spooking them...

"What's going on, guys?" She asked once she came up behind them. One of the cubs pointed towards a small hill near the beach and Kishino's sharp eyes shifted in that direction. It didn't even take her a second to see what had the children on edge...

"TSUREN!" She called, seeing her cub heading up the hill, towards a person standing there. A thousand thoughts ran through her mind at one time. Fear for her cub coursed through her entire being, making her heart beat painfully in her chest and a cold chill ran down her spine. The youkai at the top of the hill was calling her child to him?

The female spared no time and dashed after her little ward, sprinting faster than a normal human could - boosting her body's performance with her reiki in order to manage such a feat. She was going to get to her cub!

She didn't recognise the aura, not at first, but at the moment it didn't really matter! She was focused on one thing only, to get to her child before said child got to the stranger!

As she finally caught up to the cub, her hands shot out in front of her and grasped his shoulders carefully.

"Tsuren, what the flying f..." She stilled herself, her frightened anger evaporating quickly as she turned him around to face her. Surprise was written all over his little round face before he was brought tightly against her in a fierce embrace. The female whimpered softly as she nuzzled her nose into his hair, having knelt down to allow such affection, then cast a sharp gaze at the person at the top of the hill. What was his game!?

As the seal-cub's little arms wrapped around her neck she quickly stood, lifting him up with her and settling him on her right hip. Then, with determined steps, she continued up the hill until she was only a few feet away from the other adult shape, ready to give him a good piece of her mind for scaring the children and luring her son to him.

"I said two weeks..."

She blinked before she could get a word out. And then, as the cloud of maternal protectiveness faded slightly, she was able to see the person clearly.

"Shippou..." she sighed then, and her tense shoulders slumped. Her eyes closed as relief washed over her. Thank the Kami...

A large, clawed hand combed through her hair on the left side of her head, and she opened her eyes to gaze into a pair of emerald irises. He looked almost hurt, and...angry...? A shaky breath escaped her before her left arm shot out and wrapped around the fox youkai's neck, pulling him towards her before he could resist, and she buried her nose into the crook of his neck.

"I didn't think you'd come..." She whispered, feeling him tense up against her, but she refused to let him go. He smelled of past memories; of forests and meadows, of long days on the road, of waterfalls and thunder.

Slowly she felt his nose against her neck too, and she squeezed him tighter.

"This Shippou does not break his promises..." his gruff voice all but a whisper, yet so clearly heard by her since his mouth was so close to her ear.

"This Shippou has to learn not to scare children under this Kishino's care!" She replied dryly, finally pulling away to look at his face. Her hand caressed his cheek gingerly.

"We have much to talk about, Shippou...won't you join us for dinner?" She whispered. The fox seemed to think hard about her offer for a few moments.

"Shippou-sama, please join us?" Tsuren piped in, reminding both adults that he was still set on Kishino's hip and very much present.

Shippou frowned, but nodded, then held up the ball from earlier.

"Someone has a very good arm for throwing balls..." His voice now held a more amused tone, then proceeded to point to a red mark on his forehead.

"Had I not known better I would've said it was thrown with the purpose of hitting me..."

"Ahahaha..." Kishino grimaced, then nodded for Shippou to follow them. Tsuren shifted in her grip and threw his arms out to Shippou and the meaning was not lost on the woman, who promptly handed the child over to the bewildered fox.

"Um..." Shippou looked down into the big round eyes of the child, the dark brown orbs glittered brightly.

"Up high, Shippou-sama!" He giggled, and Kishino smirked - discretely gesturing to Shippou's shoulders and the fox got the hint, lifting Tsuren up onto his strong shoulders and settling him there, cringing only slightly as Tsuren's delighted squeal sounded through the air.

So much for dignified and keeping his cool - even now Kagome had that effect...He followed the female down the hill towards the beach.

The children were still standing in a cluster down on the beach, just where she'd left them. Their white hair glistening in the sunlight.

"Everyone, this is Shippou-sama!" Kishino introduced the fox once they reached the children.

"The one you've told us about?" One asked, and she nodded.

"But he isn't little!" Another shot in and a murmur went through the crowd of tiny youkai.

"Shippou-sama represents the House of the Moon and is the chosen Heir to the West...he's a Lord." Kishino explained them, slowly.

"You are to show him respect, and..." she was interrupted by a sharp yip from the fox behind her and she whirled around, to see a few of the cubsstanding behind said fox, tugging at one of his tails. She could see the fur on his tails bristle - poor fox...

"..." she brought a hand to her mouth to hide her smile, and she and Tsuren exchanged looks.

"..AHEM! ...respect and good behaviour from you all!" she finished after clearing her throat.

"He has three tails, Kishino-sama!" The children squealed, before a low growl from the female sent them running down the beach towards the rest of the clan, their delighted laughter piercing the air. The female put her hands on her back, offering Shippou a small apologetic smile.

"They don't see other types of youkai very often..." she explained, while Shippou's eye twitched ever so slightly. His aura was usually enough to keep lesser youkai from approaching him...he felt violated! They had yanked his tail!

"Aw, Shippou, come on..." she laughed as he didn't say anything and took one of his hands in hers and giving it a light squeeze. He blinked down at her, and she tugged him along, Tsuren perched on the tall male's shoulders - feeling like was on top of the world!

* * *

The entire Clan gathered around the large fireplace on the beach. The sun was setting, casing an orange glow across the landscape around them, glittering in the water as the waves crashed softly against the sand.

The children were sleeping in a big pile, watched over by a few 'nannies', so the rest of the adults could relax after the meal.

Kishino stood from her seat, and drew everyone's attention to herself by flaring her aura.

"I am Kishino Hito, clan-member, clan-sister, and for the past decade; wandering warrior-priest..." she announced. All heads nodded, understanding that by introducing herself as such meant that she had something important to say to them all.

"Before I came to you, I was Kagome Higurashi. Miko and protector of the Shikon no Tama. I was one of those who helped vanquish he evil hanyou Naraku from these lands. I was the companion of the hanyou Inuyasha, who is the brother of Lord Sesshoumaru of the West. I was the sister of the slayer Sango and the cursed monk Miroku. I was an ally of Kouga, Prince of wolves, son of the Lord of the East."

Again everyone nodded, and she turned her gaze to the fox seated behind her. She felt the apprehension in his aura and she took a step back towards him, her hand coming to rest on his shoulder.

"And I was mother to Shippou. This Shippou...whom is now Heir to the West." Her voice softer, almost regretful.

" I wish that all of you will treat him with respect, and welcome him as your brother - for he is most dear to me..."

His surprised gaze locked with hers, and she took the opportunity to kneel down before him, facing him directly, and further surprised them all by resting her forehead on the kitsune's knee.

"I am so sorry, Shippou. There is no word in any language that can properly describe how sorry I am...I should've tried harder to come back for you." She was whispering now, her tone so hushed that even the ones seated closest to her had to strain their sensitive hearing in order to hear her words.

Yolu watched the scene unfold, his face a stern mask. For Kishino to address them all so formally meant that this was something that was incredibly important to her. Showing her submission to the fox proved to them all just how highly she thought of him; for Kishino bowed her head to no one. He had wondered about the kitsune she had brought with her and invited to join them for dinner. The youkai's aura was impressive, sending shivers down everyone's spine, including his. They had therefor given their hospitality without fuss, and greeted the fox with open minds.

Now they knew who he was, and they all remembered the constant emotional pain she was in from leaving this Shippou behind...

"I am Yolu." He stood from his seat, his dark brown gaze locking with Shippou's green.

"I am Clan-leader and protector of this group of seal-youkai - a task appointed to me when the previous Clan-leaders were taken from this world by an enemy clan of Eagle-youkai almost eleven years ago. I am the son of Mion, our healer, who also took Kagome into her care and adopted her as a daughter. I am one of those who found the miko in the dark depths of the sea and brought her to our home. I have become her friend and clan-brother and thereby her Head of Family. It is my honour to extend a welcome to the Heir to the West into our family. A son of Kishino is a son of this Clan."

Shippou was stunned. He hadn't thought she would...they would... They...

He cleared his throat. Formalities...he had to respond in turn. He placed his hand on the back of Kagome's head as it still rested against his knee.

"I am Shippou, taiyoukai of the House of the Moon and Heir to the West. I was once the companion of the same hanyou, slayer and monk as the woman in front of me. My birth parents were murdered by the Thunder Brothers, and this woman took me in and cared for me, never once judging me by my youkai blood - even after I stole the jewel-shards with intentions of using them to be stronger...she is my mother."

He allowed his eyes to break the seal-youkai's gaze and glanced down at the woman at his feet. He removed his hand from her head and instead moved his clawed fingers in under her chin, lifting her head so that he could look her in the eyes.

"My mother left me behind, that is true, and we all thought her dead - and upon seeing her again after so long, I admit I felt hurt and a sensation of complete abandonment...but I was quick to judge...as are we all from time to time. I understand you weren't able to return to us. I understand now that I don't have the whole story - but I would very much like to hear it..." He saw confusion in her eyes, and hope.

"I, Shippou, will cast aside my hurt, if that means I can have my mother back in my life..." he murmured, and she bit her lip before launching herself into his chest, arms around his neck. He wrapped his own arms around her waist and held her to him.

"I love you, mama..." he whispered in her ear, the words were meant for her alone and she knew it. Her body trembled right before the first sobs escaped her and she collapsed against him while he cradled her like he would a child, rocking her gently.

The seals around the fire shared looks between themselves, and they smiled. They reckoned Kishino would be more at peace from now on.

* * *

"Kagome?"

"Hm?"

"You're not sleeping, are you?"

"..'f course not.."

"...your eyes are closed..."

"...I'm studying the insides of my eyelids..."

"I was wondering..."

"...hm?"

"You're falling asleep..."

"...no..."

 _Sigh._

"I'll need to talk to you about something tomorrow..."

"...m-hm...tomorrow..."

Shippou settled on his side into the shallow dent in the sand, a makeshift, outdoors bed. He brought the female closer to his chest and nuzzled into her silken mass of hair, as she nuzzled into the warmth of Tsuren - the child was in his seal form to better keep his warmth in the night-air - and so, they both served as personal heaters for the female between them.

Tomorrow he would ask if Kagome would accompany him back to the Western Castle. That should be no problem. Right?

He could sense her protective barrier around the peaceful seal-camp, and so allowed himself to completely relax, and sleep.

* * *

"No!" She turned around, away from him, and walked down the beach.

Shippou grit his teeth. He had asked her about coming with him to the Western Castle half an hour ago, and despite his great arguments for WHY she should come with him, she refused. He'd tried to coax her into agreeing for thirty minutes. All he got was 'no'.

He hadn't wanted to play this card, but...

"You owe me!" He called after her retreating form, and he saw her shoulders tense. He moved up behind her, clawed hands grabbed her upper arms and kept her from walking away again.

"You thought you were even with the Lord of the West when you took the arrow?" He whispered in her ear. Her back straightened and he smirked. Oh, NOW she was listening!

"He took me in one year after you disappeared...now; if taking the arrow for him made you even, and he did that - then that means you owe HIM a debt, doesn't it?" His tone was sweet like poisoned honey. He knew he had her judging by the way her heartrate went up for a split second.

"That's not fair!" She hissed over her shoulder.

"It sure wasn't, but it's the truth!" He countered quickly, allowing her to tear herself from his grasp. She took a few steps away and put her arms around herself, her gaze locked on the rolling waves just off the beach.

"I have not pointed it out to him, Kagome...but do me this favour and I will consider that debt paid...We have to be at the Castle in a few days. It's one week before the Twenty year-gathering."

The woman growled under her breath, digging her nails into the sleeves of her kosode.

Damn it, damn it, damn it all!

She ran it through her mind several times - the logic behind his words couldn't be denied. DAMN IT! She owed the Lord of the West a debt for taking care of her kit! Argh! How could she not have seen that earlier!?

"Fine!" She grumbled.

"Sesshoumaru-sama will get to meet with the warrior-priest, Kishino Hito." She turned on her heel to face him, eyes slightly narrowed - he responded by offering his best puppy-eyes.

"Ah-ahh!" She protested, throwing her hands up.

"That is not fair play, Shippou!" She grimaced.

"I'll go as Kishino Hito, alright? That's who he wants to meet! Under no circumstance do I want you to in any way attempt to reveal to anyone who I was, do you understand? THAT is my condition!...that, and Tsuren is coming with me..."

"...I understand and agree to your condition, but the cub stays here. It's safer..."

"No chance! Tsuren is my ward and my cub, and he goes where I go!"

"You will allow him near the most dangerous and lethal youkai of the land!?"

"I allowed YOU near Naraku, and you still lived!"

"...point taken..."

"And I am more powerful now than I was back then! I have brought Tsuren with me across the land for ten years already, I know I can protect him! Don't you dare doubt my ability to protect what I consider mine!" Her eyes flared before she inhaled deeply and calmed herself. She ran a hand through her hair, frowning as she saw the dark look in Shippou's eyes.

"You are included into what I consider mine, Shippou..." She continued, her tone softer, warmer. With a few quick steps she had her arms around his waist and her face buried into his chest.

"...please have faith in me and my abilities..."

With a small huff the kitsune returned the hug.

"I seem to forget that i'm not the only one who's grown in power..." he muttered, earning a soft chuckle from the female.

"Forgetful fox..." she swatted playfully at his back. They separated from the hug and he ruffled her hair.

"So...you gonna explain this..." he gestured with his hand, hinting to the length of her body as they were on the subject of growing.

"...tsh..." she rolled her eyes and grinned sheepishly up at him.

"...as soon as i determined to travel the land - and to do so as a man, I guess the shikon in me decided to aid me. Who'd have believed me to be a man had I remained seven inches shorter than my current height? I don't think it happened over night, though. I remember my back ached terribly the first three weeks of travelling on land, as well as my legs. I thought it was just because I wasn't used to travelling on land after so long...but then my clothes shrank by a few inches..."

Her shoulders rose in a shrug.

"I'm just so very happy that it only added to my height, and didn't decide to give me..." she noticed Shippou's eyes widen and understood that he caught on to what she was trying to say. She giggled. Priceless!

"...man-parts between my legs?" she offered with a poorly contained smirk of amusement, and the fox shuddered while whining loudly, covering his eyes and ears with his hands.

"So wrong! Make it go away!" he whimpered, sitting down in the sand while trying to will the idea AWAY!

"...hey, I just said i was happy it didn't..."

"CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

Kishino sniggered to herself as she headed back to camp, a disturbed fox trailing behind her quietly. So, she would have to make an appearance at the Western Castle - hopefully it would be over quickly and she could return to her travels with Tsuren.

Did she like the idea of appearing before Sesshoumaru? No. Not at all. But she would anyway. She wouldn't risk getting on Sesshoumaru's bad side...She had been on that bad side before, and she knew it wasn't a good place to be. Not this time. Good side, only! Yes...

It was time to put her female side aside again and become the travelling warrior-priest after two weeks of vacation. She did feel a little miffed that she didn't get to spend more time with her seal family, but that meant they'd just have to go back to see them again soon.


	7. Not a miko

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

~~~O~~~

 **A.N.:** _ **If this chapter raises more questions, then you can be assured there will be answers in later chapters. I'm in the middle of a terrible cold, so my brain is cotton, my eyes are deserts and my throat is a cactus...but I'm typing! XD**_

 _ **Oh, and this is a random fact! I am TERRIBLE at typing up small-talk! It's something I really can't do! I'm great at small-talk in real life, I mean - I can hardly shut up! But writing down small-talk-scenes? No way! So if situations occur where I have to type up some small-talk, then you have to expect it to be short before it moves on to something else. Wooooooh! So i apologize for the awkward typing in this chapter. I will pull the "I've got a cold" card... =D**_

* * *

 **CHAPTER SEVEN - NOT A MIKO**

* * *

They had covered much ground in one day. They could already see the Western Castle in the far distance, and estimated another two hours before they reached their destination.

They had stopped for a quick break to have a drink of water and a quick bite of food. Tsuren was quick to dip his head once fed, signalling how tired he was. He'd been a brave little boy so far and stayed awake, so Kishino was very proud, and cradled him against her where they sat.

"Want me to carry him?" Shippou offered quietly, but Kishino shook her head and offered a small smile.

"It's not the first time he's fallen asleep on me during travel..."

She shifted the child and placed him in Shippou's lap before she shrugged off her black travelling haori, then her longbow and long arrows, placing the weapons to the side. She smiled brightly when noticing Shippou's curious eyes following her every movement while she twirled the haori and tied the arms and the bottom of the piece of clothing together. The makeshift sling was then hung over one shoulder across her chest and she retrieved the child from Shippou. She proceeded to place Tsuren inside the sling in her lap before carefully shifting, again, so the child was hanging on her back, secure inside the cocoon of the haori.

"Clever..." the fox mused and Kishino shrugged - grabbing her long bow and quiver again.

"I have my ways..." she grinned at the kitsune and got to her feet without much struggle. The added weight on her back didn't seem to bother her, nor throw her off balance - Shippou could see that this was, indeed, a very worked-in routine.

Kishino was once again in male-mode. Wearing the black, long sleeved turtleneck jumper, with the silver obi wrapped tightly around her waist and the black hakamas tucked into his soft black leather boots. His slender male-physique was quite eye-catching, Shippou had to admit. There was nothing to suggest that underneath he was...who he was.

The balm was covering the female scent perfectly, the jet black hair was tied up in a high ponytail, and the way he carried himself was masculine and self-assured. ...And there was something he did with his eyes that made them seem more narrow without the obvious tightening of muscles around his eyes, and the way he set his jaw...it changed his features enough to make him...different. Shippou found that fascinating!

Very carefully, so that he didn't disturb the sleeping child, Kishino only brought the quiver over one shoulder instead of across his back and kept his bow in his hand, shifting the weight of it in his hand until it was in a comfortable grip - his battle staff in the other hand, serving its current purpose as a walking stick.

"I've been meaning to ask...why so many weapons? You were fine with just the bow...before..." Shippou asked curiously once they started walking. He had wondered, and felt that it was alright to ask about it now.

"No battles are the same...no opponent is like the previous opponent...I learned the hard way to always be prepared, and have a back-up just in case..." was the quick reply, as though the question had been anticipated.

Shippou scoffed, grinning slightly as he thought about that.

"So you've been..." his expression changed into a grimace at the grim thought of the male-female next to him injured.

"What, hurt? Damaged? Torn to shreds and gutted? Sure, sure...been there. Several times, actually." Kishino shrugged, causing Shippou's hand to land on the one nearest to him.

"I swear, if you shrug one more time..." he muttered, but Kishino merely grinned at him.

"...shrugging is a good way of expressing..." the human noticed the warning glance he got from the kitsune and offered a bright smile instead.

"It's a habit, alright? I'm a shrugger!" Kishino stuck his tongue out at Shippou, a childish move, he couldn't help it - but the sound of Shippou's laugh was worth being a little childish for!

They kept talking back and forth, keeping the subjects light, walking for nearly another twenty minutes before Kishino stopped in his tracks and held out his hand to stop the kitsune walking with him. They had reached a hilltop and had full view of the network of well-travelled roads further down the hill.

Kishino's sharp eyes fell on a travelling group in the distance, and Shippou shuddered visibly as the aura around the priest flared before it turned cold and he dared a glance at the priest's face which had turned to a stone-mask.

"They're heading to the Castle..." the priest commented, his voice sounded light, but there was ice underneath.

"...Kagome, they're there for the twenty-year gathering..." he explained.

"...ah, well...seems like you left that detail out when guilt-tripping me into appearing before the Lord, huh, Shippou?"

"Ahaha..." The Heir to the West rubbed the back of his head as a guilty smile graced his lips. Oops.

"Look, Ka...Kishino-sama, if you would want to avoid them..."

"No, no...I'm bound to see them at the Castle anyway..." the warrior-priest squared his shoulders and they headed down the hill.

When they got to the bottom of said hill they noticed that the small group ahead of them had stopped. Kishino frowned slightly. He flared his senses, picking up the auras of every member of the group. He knew those auras by heart.

"I see she is still a clay golem..." he whispered, leaning slightly into Shippou, who chuckled deeply.

"They never found a way to reverse that, nor a way to bring her back to flesh and blood..." he replied and Kishino nodded slowly.

"And she still does not trust strong youkai, I see..." the warrior-priest added sarcastically, to which Shippou only rolled his eyes, giving Kishino the answer he needed just then. He'd ask more questions later. He let Shippou take the lead, and stayed behind him as they approached the group.

"Inuyasha, tell your wench to lower her weapon!" The fox called once they got within hearing range.

"Shippou? Damn it, runt, a third tail already!? Kikyou, down!" Inuyasha's coarse voice rang through the air.

"Shippou!"

"Shippou!"

The two humans sitting on the back of the large firecat quickly slid off their ride and rushed to the kitsune to greet him with hugs, as humans did.

Kishino stood back and watched the reunion with a blank expression on his face. They had aged. Twenty years. They both had silver in their hair, wrinkles around their eyes...but they still seemed in good shape... His heart clenched slightly. He'd not thought he'd see them again...his throat felt dry, and his chest hurt. He wasn't sure if he could keep his secret from them for long, but he had to try...at least for himself...just for a little longer...by the Kamis... He swallowed painfully before he regained control of his slightly runaway emotions, reeling them in until he felt calm and collected once more.

His eyes then moved to the hanyou - still the same, a little older, but still boyishly young in appearance, and dressed in his firerat attire. He looked well. Strong. Healthy. Still his unkempt self, which in one way was good, otherwise he wouldn't be Inuyasha, would he?

Next to Inuyasha stood Kikyou, as cold in appearance as he remembered, and still dressed in her miko garbs - which surprised him slightly - he had to admit. One should think that as a mated woman she'd have given up her miko-duties. Wasn't that what she had wanted, to lead a normal life? Then again, how normal could a life be when one was made from gravesoil and bones? Uh...it struck him, also, that IF she was still an undead clay doll, then...she couldn't be mated...

Kikyou looked directly at him, and he returned the cool gaze. Even now she could make the hairs in his neck stand on end - he was secretly happy he had his hair tied up so tightly, or he was sure it would've bristled... He could feel her powers prod at the barriers he had cast around his aura in order to hide it, but he rejected her and blocked her completely - he smirked inwardly when he noticed her eyes widen for a split second, then her brows furrowed slightly in annoyance.

"Shippou! Who is your friend?" He heard Sango ask, and Kishino blinked slowly, his attention returning to the two humans who were now standing next to the fox, both staring at him with curious eyes. This also brought the hanyou's attention to him.

"Yeah! The hell are you doing bringing strangers into the bastard's lands? A human no less! You TRYING to get him to kill ya?!"

Shippou stepped back slightly before gesturing for Kishino to step forth. The Warrior-priest did just that, unafraid of the presences in front of him.

"Sango, Miroku, this is Kishino Hito - the warrior-priest." Shippou introduced. A small gasp was heard coming from the woman, and Kishino took a step towards her, reaching for her hand and bringing it to his mouth - a smile graced his lips as he brushed them against her knuckles before releasing her hand.

"I have heard stories of your strength and bravery in the past, Sango-sama; the last of the Slayers. I am truly honoured to finally meet you!" The woman flushed slightly and Kishino offered a respectful bow to Miroku.

"I am also honoured to meet you, Miroku-sama, the monk, the one who survived the cursed wind-tunnel! Your wisdom and patience is widely known..."

The monk bowed his head in turn.

"On behalf of me and my wife, the honour is all ours; to meet you, Hito-sama, is indeed a great honour! Stories of your deeds have reached even our humble village of Edo! We thought you unreal, or a figment of someone's far too vivid imagination..."

Kishino inclined his head and allowed a ghost of a smile to cross his lips.

"I am sure that some of these tales are, indeed, just figments of someone's imaginations..." the two shared a small chuckle before Kishino looked to Shippou.

"And..." Shippou drew his own affectionate attention away from the humans, gesturing to Inuyasha and Kikyou.

"Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru-sama's half-brother - and his mate, Kikyou-sama, the village-miko of Edo."

Kishino nodded his head.

"I have heard of you two, as well. Inuyasha - wielder of the famed Tetsusaiga, and his companion, the miko Kikyou of he village of Edo. Legends sure are coming alive today!" he said for the politeness of it, then looked back to Sango. How he had missed her!

"You are hiding your aura, Hito-sama. Any particular reason?" Kikyou's cold voice sounded, and Kishino turned his attention back to her. It took some forced strength to manage a bright and somewhat boyishly charming smile in the undead miko's direction before he shifted his battle staff in his right hand.

"I travel through many dangerous areas, lady Kikyou. It's important I do not draw attention to myself, thus my aura and scent remain hidden until I am sure no one is around."

"Someone who keeps their aura hidden can't be trusted..." She tried to prod at him again, but he rejected her aura without trouble - refraining from giving the miko a speech on trust. For now. He wasn't going to start any trouble.

"And here I thought all my weapons were cause to mistrust me, lady Kikyou, not my lack of aura..." he smirked cheekily, resulting in the hanyou chuckling.

"Boy's got a quick mouth on him! C'mon guys, we're gonna be late for ice-prince's collection of noble youkai and whatnot!"

Miroku grinned at this.

"My, my, Inuyasha, are you eager to see your brother?"

Inuyasha's shoulders stiffened and his hair DID bristle at the mention of his brother.

"No! I just wanna get there so we can rest, knowing you guys you'll start complainin' about being tired pretty soon!"

Kishino and Shippou exchanged looks, both hiding their grins before they waited for Miroku and Sango to get back on Kirara's back - Kishino dutifully assisting Sango up on the large neko youkai, then they begun covering the last stretch of road up to the Castle.

Kishino fell in next to Shippou, walking between the fox and the two humans riding on the firecat's back. He kept his eyes on Kikyou and Inuyasha, well mostly Kikyou. She was not happy about not being able to break through his barriers.

"Excuse me, Hito-sama..." His thoughts were interrupted, which he was happy for, and he turned his head to Miroku, noticing the older male eyeing the sling on his back.

"You may call me Kishino, Miroku-sama, it would be an honour..." he smiled and waited for the monk to voice his question.

"Kishino-sama...I can't help but he curious about the carrying-device on your back, it seems to move..."

"That, honoured monk, would be my ward. The child fell asleep not long before Shippou-sama and myself caught up to your group, and this is the most efficient way of carrying him without exhausting myself or hindering my movements, too much, should I need to fight..."

"Is it true that your ward is a youkai?" Sango asked softly, and Kishino nodded, daring a glance at the woman he once had regarded as an older sister.

"His parents were murdered, and I promised them I would always look after him if they could not."

"That sounds so much like you, Shippou-kun!" She human female gave the kitsune a smile, and Shippou's strained smile told them he had caught the similarities. Sango just smiled gently at the young man walking next to them.

"So how did you and Shippou meet?" The question had lain in waiting, so Kishino had anticipated it. He threw a quick glance at the fox before he very quickly shrugged, and hurried on to the answer.

"Shippou-sama ran into me not many weeks ago. He, too, didn't take well to my aura being hidden - but we came to an understanding after a quick spar, and ended up sharing camp - sharing stories as the evening fell, and come morning he decided to escort myself and my ward back to our home. I guess you can say we became instant friends..."

His eyes darted quickly to Shippou, who was trying to hide his grin.

"I happened to mention my run-in with the warrior-priest to Sesshoumaru-sama, and was requested to bring him to the Western Castle to discuss an alliance...I'm guessing Sesshoumaru-sama wishes to see if he is as great as the rumours say..."

They all fell silent after that. Kishino found great comfort in Miroku and Sango's silent acceptance of his presence, even Inuyasha's attempts at ignoring him. Kikyou continued prodding to try and sense his aura - it was annoying, but he didn't give her anything, just kept brushing her off. When he felt HER ire rise to new levels - he was amused - she would get nothing from him!

It did strike him a few minutes later, something that had bothered him slightly; it seemed like the clay miko's powers had waned over the years. Perhaps that was why she felt so threatened by him. Hm... He'd investigate that possibility later...

His musings were cut short when the gates to the Castle gates suddenly were in front of them and the all too familiar rude tone of the redclad hanyou filled the air once more.

"Oi, ya bastards, open the gates will ya?" Inuyasha yelled, and Kishino heard Shippou sigh before moving up to the hanyou. The fox' hand landed on the inu male's shoulder and gently moved him back.

With a flare of youki from the fox, the gates opened. Shouting would've gotten Inuyasha nowhere. Only proof of true power allowed anyone inside, that, and a standing invitation, of course. Merely sending the hanyou a disapproving look, Shippou let the others enter before he joined Kishino in the back, entering the Castle grounds before the gates shut behind them.

Kishino inhaled deeply. Ok. Western Castle.

"I'll show you to your room before you meet with Sesshoumaru-sama..." Shippou whispered, and Kishino nodded.

* * *

Kishino and Shippou stopped outside the doors to the great dining-hall. Tsuren was sleeping in the room they shared in the guest wing of the Castle. The cub was secure behind strong barriers placed by Kishino - he took no chances. Not here.

Both him and Shippou cringed as a loud voice rang through the massive doors. Kikyou. They exchanged looks.

"For a quiet and humble miko she sure can shout, ne?" Shippou smirked, making Kishino twist the corners of his lips up in a small smile.

"She's demanding that the Lord order me to remove the barriers shielding my aura..." He murmured, and Shippou's eyes widened. He'd not thought Kishino could've heard that! These doors were massive, and the voices from the other side were muffled, even when the volumes were raised like now! Inuyasha was yelling because of something Sesshoumaru had said, most likely defending his dead priestess, as usual.

"She kept prodding at my aura when we were walking here, but I kept brushing her off - she does not like it one bit that her powers were rejected by my own..." Kishino explained when Shippou merely stared at him after his previous statement.

"Oh, this oughta be good then..." Shippou grinned wickedly before collecting himself. He nudged Kishino with his shoulder before he pushed the doors open.

"Inuyasha, keep your wench silent lest she wishes to be thrown out of these grounds in a most disgraceful way!" the voice of Sesshoumaru rang through the room as the doors opened, chilling Kishino to the bone. Damn it, he'd have legged it out of there had he not had Shippou's hand pressed against his back, ushering him forwards.

"How dare you!?" Kikyou's eyes blazed, but there was a loud snarl thundering through the room, and she silenced herself.

Sesshoumaru was not pleased at all. He had thought his brother would've had enough wits about him to reign in his wench before she crossed a line, but the hanyou defended her as always.

"My Lord.." Shippou bowed his head to Sesshoumaru, who in turn inclined his head to his Heir - the golden eyes never left the undead miko and her protector, however.

"This is the warrior-priest we spoke about. Kishino Hito. He defeated the corrupt dragon Mitokatsuryu in the Northern Lands, and then proceeded to aid the Lord of the South in his battle against invading black rat youkai from the mainland."

Kishino walked up to stand a few feet in front of the inu taiyoukai, gazing up at the stoic face for a short second before bending at the hips in a deep, respectful bow.

The next second he swiftly stepped to the side and avoided the slice of acidic claws. His back was still bowed, but in a flash he brought up his left arm, blocking the poison whip with a barrier.

Though he remained down low he saw the whip being drawn back and in a heartbeat he infused his entire arm with reiki - he blocked the next slash without a barrier, letting it curl around his lower arm instead, and he held it there, his flesh protected by his own power. He glanced up at the Lord, before he flicked a finger on his right hand at the whip, purifying the poison instantly.

Sesshoumaru released his impressive youki then, flaring it so everyone could feel his power. Everyone shuddered at the heavy atmosphere. Kishino now straightened his back and responded in turn, removing the barriers covering his aura and let it flare and clash with the Lord's. He was being tested, he'd realised that quite fast. He'd show the Lord his might.

The room vibrated with tension as the two auras clashed, followed by an impressive shockwave which sent violent tremors through the entire room and forced every individual in the room to their knees, the power too intense to withstand. The only ones standing were Sesshoumaru and Kishino.

Shippou pushed himself up to his feet, then helped Sango and Miroku to their feet, making sure they were ok - relieved to find they were both unharmed, his attention returned to his Lord and his..uh...new friend.

"I've never felt such pure power before..." Miroku mused, and Sango shook her head. She had neither. There had been no such pure power since Kagome disappeared and took her pure heart with her.

Inuyasha had Kikyou cradled close to him and found that he had troubles standing back up. The burst of holy power had hurt pretty bad! Damn! Just who was this kid!?

"The hell!?" He snapped, checking Kikyou over for damages, growling when he found several scorchmarks on her clothes, there were even a few cracks in her porcelain skin from the blast.

"You'll pay for harming her!" He snarled angrily, but found that his rage was ignored.

Kishino shuddered as he reeled in his powers and concealed them beneath barriers along with his aura. The next moment he was kneeling infront of the Youkai Lord, who was regarding him with a cold gaze.

"I, Kishino Hito, travelling warrior-priest, acknowledge the taiyoukai Sesshoumaru, Lord of the West, as my superior in power - and so swear my allegiance to him and his lands should a time ever come when there is need for this one's assistance!"

Sesshoumaru nodded, then looked to Shippou and then turned, walking out of the room.

Kishino blinked, watching the demon lord retreat. Sweat trickled down his brow from the large burst of power he'd released. He let his shoulders slump then. Alive! He was alive!

"I was sure I was gonna lose my head, there, for a moment..." he grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck, sensing whose aura came up behind him.

"Naah!" Shippou chuckled and walked up to his side, snaking his arm around his shoulders, squeezing until one could ALMOST hear his bones creak in protest.

"He was impressed, Kishino-sama..."

"That was impressive, Kishino-sama!" Miroku and Sango came over as well, none of them afraid to give the young male a pat on the back in approval. The warrior-priest grinned sheepishly.

"Really, it wasn't..."

"Ya bastard, ya hurt Kikyou in your stupid little display!" Inuyasha was stomping over with the undead Miko in his arms. Kishino shot the hanyou a warning look before he frowned and looked at the woman in his arms.

An instant spell spoken under his breath suddenly stopped the hanyou from moving, and Kishino walked to the still form in the frozen Inu's arms.

"Indeed, I did.." He mused, then sighed. He put his hand over Kikyou's forehead, touching his fingertips to her cold skin and the cracks in her skin healed over. The brown eyes fluttered open and Kishino gazed directly into them, making sure that Kikyou was holding his gaze as he spoke.

"Just because you pose as a miko, Kikyou, does not make you a holy being. I take it you were one in your previous life?" His stormy blue eyes met with deep brown cold ones.

"I am still a miko, young one! It's always been my calling, and still is! You would do wise in addressing me with respect!" she replied in what one could call a polite tone, a telling tone, as though she was talking to someone of a lower intelligence.

A small frown came to Kishino's face, and he shook his head carefully, still keeping their eyes locked.

"All you are now is undead, Kikyou. Anyone born with holy or spiritual powers knows that undead is just about as unholy as they come..." Kishino did not allow for her to shift her gaze, and let his hand travel from her forehead to where her heart would have rested once. Now there was no heartbeat, no pulse, no warm flesh, no rushing blood.

"The sliver of a soul that you cling to in order to remain bound to this land helps not. There is no heart in you, Kikyou. The sliver of a soul is fading as are the powers you have borrowed from it. Spend your time wisely instead of picking fights you cannot win." He saw Kikyou's eyes widen slightly, and he knew he had hit the nail right on the head...

He stepped away, and felt Miroku's hands on his arm - a gentle reassurance, like always.

They room grew quiet as Inuyasha glared daggers at Kishino, while Kishino merely arched an eyebrow, which in turn pissed the hanyou off more. Kikyou remained oddly quiet while the tension grew between the hanyou and the strange priest. It didn't get any lighter when Kishino released Inuyasha from the freezing-spell...

As Inuyasha's started bleeding red, Shippou decided to step in and held Inuyasha back while Miroku and Sango pulled Kishino with them out to the gardens before the fight broke out.

"It's been a long time since someone has dared mention what Kikyou truly is, Kishino-sama...it's been left alone for twenty years...Inuyasha doesn't take kindly to insults towards her." Sango frowned slightly, and Miroku nodded slowly.

"...well, I'm not in habit of beating around the bush. I called her out on what she is, the sooner she faces that truth - and accepts that what she is right now is not what she imagines she is, the sooner she can find her peace..." he murmured.

"Inuyasha will try to fight you on Kikyou's behalf, you know..." Miroku sat down on a bench. Sango seated herself next to her husband, and Kishino - as the physically younger person, sat down on the grass, knees lightly bent and arms resting on top of his knees. His head dropped back slightly, an exasperated sigh escaping through his lips.

"Yeah...I guessed as much..." he replied slowly, his voice a soft murmur. A frown marred his brows as he lost himself in thought.

"His sword, the Tetsusaiga, it's very powerful. Be careful in a fight against him..." Sango placed her hand on Miroku's shoulder and watched the young priest's frown grow deeper. He had heard her.

"Heh..." The warrior-priest moved his shoulders in a carefree shrug. In truth, he didn't worry about facing the Tetsusaiga...he worried more for the reactions caused by the sword not transforming upon being used against him...

The sword's aura had recognized him, he'd sensed it. He'd not really expected any less from the fang of the great Inu no Taisho...

He'd have to try (note: TRY) to stay out of Inuyasha's way, and avoid a fight at any cost... He could do that, right?


	8. Not a priest

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

~~~O~~~

 **A.N.:** _ **Cold's fading. Sinusitis taking it's place. I'm so blessed! XD Believe it or not, however confusing and/or frustrating this chapter may be (for you as well as me) I am REALLY trying to work it up towards something! Still not planning ahead, just going on hunches and what feels right at the moment ;) And sometimes I just generally don't know...**_

* * *

 **CHAPTER EIGHT - NOT A PRIEST**

* * *

Miroku shifted a few coins over to Shippou's outstretched hand and then folded his arms back into the sleeves of his robes. He and the kitsune had taken up seats by the training grounds of the Castle to watch Inuyasha and Kishino. The hanyou had approached the priest after the morning meal, demanding to fight him after what happened the day before.

To watch Inuyasha and Kishino spar was highly amusing - the only way Kishino had agreed to it was if they didn't use weapons. Once Inuyasha had thrown his tantrum, he'd begrudgingly agreed and they had been at it since. It had been almost two hours, and nearing lunch...

What was interesting was that Inuyasha seemed intent on really damaging the young priest, lunging wildly at his opponent, slashing with claws, using his demon speed - and Kishino, it seemed, treated this more like a normal work-out session, blocking, dodging, ducking, diving, rolling, spinning and otherwise dancing around the other's frenzied attacks - only to end up sending the hanyou crashing to the ground with a well placed kick or punch. Every time a punch or kick landed, the priest stretched his limbs and remained loose and flexible in his moves opposed to the ever tense hanyou.

"Stop trying to get your claws in me and focus on your vulnerable openings, hanyou!" Kishino called after a roundhouse-kick that caused Inuyasha to eat dirt for the umpteenth time.

"Stop tryin' ta teach me, kid! I've been to more battles than you and survived those without your feckin' advice!"

Kishino could only muster a look that had _'really...?'_ written all over it, obviously less than impressed with the other.

"Then prove it! Fight like the warrior you claim you are and not like the child you currently behave as!"

"Why you little..." Inuyasha's claws dug into his palms, drawing blood. In a flash he cast the blades of blood at the priest who had the audacity to taunt him! He'd show him! ...he hadn't really imagined that the priest would let them land...

Kishino staggered backwards, falling onto his back after being sliced by multiple of the blood blades. Ow, those hurt!...but he'd take them this round...ugh...he had a point to make!

He raised his hand slightly when he heard Shippou call out to him, to show him he was alive, if anything... He pulled a grimace, fighting his body's response to the pain, withholding his blood with his powers. He couldn't afford bleeding out, not from a sparring match anyway! The slices to his arms and legs glowed a soft pink before closing - all in a matter of seconds - and he could relax, a little...

He grimaced upon spotting the silverhaired boy glancing down at him with a smug face. Seriously, one hit and he thought he'd won? Kishino quickly arched his back, twisting his hips and sending his right leg to the back of Inuyasha's knees with enough force to get the half-youkai into a kneeling position. Another twist of hips, this time with aid from his arms lifting him off the floor, his other leg hit the back of the hanyou's head - thus introducing the hanyou's face to the ground - again.

The next second he had rolled onto the redclad body and straddled his opponent's back, pulling Inuyasha's arms back and putting his own weight on the now painfully angled shoulder-joints to prevent him from moving. This time he added some reiki to add to his own physical strength in order to fully hold Inuyasha down. He did know how strong Inuyasha was, and he didn't want to get thrown off until he'd made his point!

"Gonna try that again, Inuyasha?" He hissed quietly. The only indication he had to the hanyou hearing him was the telltale movement of his dog ears.

"Alright. Now. While I've got your attention..." he leaned down further, putting more pressure on the arms, catching the strained breath of pain escaping the one he'd once regarded as a friend.

"You need to PAY ATTENTION!" the two last words were nearly shouted into the sensitive ears, and he could feel the body cringe underneath him.

"Get off me, ya bastard!" Inuyasha snarled as a response, the snarl turned into a hiss as Kishino twisted his arm a little more under his own weight.

"Only when you listen! FIRST! I did not intend to harm your clay doll yesterday, hanyou. That was an unfortunate accident, and I mended it after - though I shouldn't have to remind you of that as you were there! SECONDLY! What I told the undead miko yesterday was the truth, it was not something I said out of spite or malice - and she was already aware of this before I voiced it to you all! THIRDLY! If you, in the future, pick a fight with me that you cannot back up with a bloody good reason, then brother-to-a-Lord or not, you will be purified instantly!"

Inuyasha had grown very still under him, listening intently to the words spoken.

"Are we clear?" Kishino snapped, and the subdued inu nodded slowly, the golden eyes shone with distrust and dislike - but Kishino could live with that, he cared no longer for Inuyasha's approval or respect.

"Getting off you, now..." he warned gently and shifted, quickly moving to stand and stepping back - allowing the redclad male to get to his feet.

A series of muffled curses left Inuyasha's mouth as he brushed himself off, and Kishino's eyes softened a little.

"I was disrespectful towards your feelings for the miko, Inuyasha...I apologize. You must love her very much...your devotion to her is admirable, and I guess it was not my place to say what I said to her..."

Inuyasha frowned deeply. This was getting confusing, and fast. First they were fighting, then he had his ass handed to him, the priest telling him off and ranting at him, THEN apologizing for what Inuyasha had brought him out here to fight for in the first place?

"Tsh...ain't nothing ya can say to change my mind 'bout you, kid..."

"...I'm not a kid..."

"Kid!"

"You wanna fight again, dog boy!?"

"Bring it!...kid!"

. . .

Shippou sweatdropped when the two flew at eachother again and turned to look at Miroku. They'd seen enough fighting for now...

"How about we go find some lunch?" He offered the older human man, who nodded. Miroku tilted his head slightly, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"The priest survived the blood blades. It looked like he got hit pretty bad too..."

"Uhm..." Shippou frowned "...his powers are very strong and he masters the art of healing in combat..." nice one, Shippou! Quick thinking! Logical mind right there!

* * *

He saw his half-brother fight the human. He saw the human send his half-brother to the ground, again and again. He was somewhat impressed - not to mention; amused! A smirk played at the corner of his lips as he paid attention to how the human was struck by blades of blood only to come out of it without damage. The way the hanyou was held to the ground the next moment made his eyes flash. Yes, he was impressed.

He returned to sit at his desk when the human and his half-brother began fighting again, gazing coolly at the piles of documents and scrolls covering the surface of his work-area - the sounds of fighting reaching all the way up to his study.

He had noticed it in the surfacing power yesterday when the priest's reiki-infused aura clashed with his own. Residue, if you will. It was so finely grained that only HIS highly tuned senses could possibly pick them up. Residue of a power he'd sensed a long time ago...He had chosen to retreat to his study to think. He had held no intentions of spending time around his half-brother or his old group members, they were merely guests that would partake in a celebration of a common victory in the past.

And now his Heir had brought this warrior-priest here...coincidence?

"Priest..." he scoffed, tracing his claws over the work surface of his massive desk.

"You may have the strongest holy powers of the ages, as rumoured, but priest you are not..."

His golden eyes quickly travelled to the window again as he heard a faint 'boom' coming from the outside, followed by a shout that sounded much like 'you're an idiot!'. It was not his brother's voice, so he guessed the whelp was eating the dirt, again. An amusing image, indeed.

 _'This Sesshoumaru wonders how long your disguise lasts here, human. It shall be interesting to observe...'_ he thought to himself.

* * *

Other than the first meeting in the great dining hall three days ago, and the pounding of Inuyasha the day after, there were surprisingly few sightings of the warrior-priest around the Castle.

Female youkai servants in particular swarmed outside his chambers in hopes he would come out and talk to them - the few and random times they had ran into him he had been nothing but absolutely charming and utterly respectful towards them. This was so rare in a human male, most of them thought, and especially from one of his level of power! He treated them as equals instead of putting himself above them - and not few of the lesser youkai females had begun spinning ideas of, perhaps, catching his attention - exclusively.

Within his chambers, Kishino was clenching her teeth as she sensed the auras in the cluttered hallway. Honestly, those floors could not possibly need another sweep, the walls didn't need dusting, the tapestry didn't need rinsing! She had confined herself to her chambers, spending some luxury time with Tsuren, furthering his lessons in reading and writing. She told him stories - telling him about Sango and Miroku, their bravery and skills in battle - telling him about Inuyasha, and Kikyou. She told him about Shippou. She even told him about Sesshoumaru and Rin. He needed to know, in case things got confusing.

"Why didn't you tell them you're their friend, mama?" Tsuren whispered in a very hushed tone, staring at her with his big, brown eyes.

"Sometimes truths can hurt, Tsuren...after so long, it might hurt them deeply to learn that I've been alive all this time..." she replied in an equally hushed tone.

"Why wouldn't they be happy?"

Kishino chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, frowning slightly.

"...they'd be wondering why I didn't come back to them...didn't I love them enough? Didn't I trust them enough? How could I just leave them all behind and continue living like they'd never been a part of my life...? And how dare I return now? Looking like this? Acting like this?"

The seal youkai gave her a blank stare, then.

"Sounds to me like you're scared, mama...maybe you DIDN'T trust them enough..."

She returned the blank stare.

"Kishino-sama ? Hellooooo~!"

Her eyes suddenly focused on a tiny hand waving frantically in front of her face.

"...yes?"

"You were being really scary, I called your name lots of times and you didn't move!"

Her eyes regained more focus and she could see his little face scrunched up with worry, and when she smiled at him, he launched himself into her and wrapped his arms around her in a death-grip.

"I thought you were mad at what I said!"

"Not at all! I was just thinking, very hard, on what you said, and I realized you were absolutely right!" She cooed into his soft fluffy hair.

"I was?"

"M-hm..." she sighed.

"I'll tell them...soon. Not yet, but soon..."

Tsuren curled up in her lap and smiled happily, nuzzling into his protector.

"When you do, can I call you mama all the time?"

Augh! The sheer force of that tug on her heartstrings caused her to physically tremble, and she held him closer to her - any closer and he'd become a permanent part of her body!

"Tell you what...for now...a compromise?" She whispered into the little ear hidden under the mass of fluffy white hair. She felt him nod, and sensed his curiosity peak.

"Alone, like this, behind our soundproof barrier...I'm your mama, and you can call me mama till your little face turns blue!"

He giggled.

"But when we are out amongst other people, for now you can call me papa...I know it's not the same, but..."

"Really? Kishino-sama, I can call you that?"

"If...if you find it...tolerable..."

Tsuren planted a loud, wet kiss on her cheek.

"Until I can call you mama full-time!" His smile was absolutely radiant as he looked up at her, and she felt the overwhelming blessing it was to have him in her life.

"That means I can call you 'baby'..." She smiled, teasing him with light tickles across his ribs causing him to squirm and giggle.

"Love you, mama!"

"Love you, baby!"

* * *

"Hey there, Ah-Un..."

Kishino moved through the dark night, approaching the two-headed dragon in his pen. He'd just escaped an awkward evening meal with Inuyasha and the rest. Kouga and his wolves had arrived earlier that day to join for the twenty-year gathering. With Kouga instantly assuming that just because they'd met once before when he chased Tsuren in the forest, they were now 'pals', Kishino had found himself grinding his teeth until his jaws hurt.

He didn't MIND Kouga, or Ayame, but he wasn't going to let the male wolf lay any claim on his friendship when he in no way had offered it. THIS time, he would BITE if that was what it took to set the stubborn wolf straight! In the past it didn't seem like any SLAP or gentle rejection had ever made the wolf any wiser nor more perceptive...

He bowed his head to the dragon to show his respect before leaning on the pen. The cool evening air felt good, and helped clear his mind. He'd almost yelled for Inuyasha to SIT during the evening meal when he tried picking a fight with the wolf Prince. Ugh...some things hadn't changed, apparently...

A large muzzle prodded his arm, causing him to jump slightly, then relaxed when he saw the curious gaze the two-headed dragon gave him.

He absentmindedly reached his hands up to scratch their chins, gaining a soft purr from the beast youkai.

A low chuckle escaped him, then, as both heads then nuzzled into his sides and he shifted his arms into better positions over their necks to scratch at the scales.

"You have a way with beasts."

Kishino froze at the cold voice.

"Yes...I've been told..." he replied slowly, turning his head ever so slowly to gaze over his shoulder at the stoic Youkai Lord.

"It is odd...this dragon lets no one it doesn't already know get close to it..."

Kishino finished scratching and ignored the snorts of protest from both heads as he turned around to fully face Sesshoumaru. He fought to keep his face a blank mask while scowling lightly.

"Like you said, Sesshoumaru-sama, I have a way with beasts..." he replied calmly, trying to match the cold tone of voice that the Lord used.

The smallest of smirks crept onto the Inu Youkai's lips.

"It knows you..."

"I assure you, my Lord, this is my first meeting with your dragon!"

In a flash, before he even had time to blink, Sesshoumaru was in his face, golden eyes narrowed and deadly claws lingering against his throat. He hadn't even been able to predict his aura like he could with other youkai! Which was frightening - because that meant that Sesshoumaru had merely been toying with him three days ago...he'd LET him sense his movements...

"Do not attempt to lie to one such as I!" The tone was almost bored now.

"Only This Sesshoumaru has detected the residue of the magic you seem to protect from others..." the deep monotone voice just a breath against the human's ear. Kishino hadn't registered that the Lord's head had moved...

"You hide yourself magnificently, but nothing hides from this Sesshoumaru!"

Kishino paled visibly before he brought forth power to his hands and used it to push the Youkai away from himself. His stormy blue eyes were wide. How had...but...he knew?! His mouth opened and closed a few times when he noticed the triumphant gleam in the golden eyes.

"You don't kn..." Kishino started, but was cut off by a strong, foreign flare of power through the air. Ah-Un snorted and galloped to the far end of his pen, birds stopped singing in the night as all sounds connected to night-time - stopped. Eerie...that was the right word for it...

"Hn...it's beginning..." Sesshoumaru mused, turning his back to Kishino and heading back to the Castle.

"What...what's beginning!?" Kishino called.

"The reason for this gathering..." came the short cold reply, and Kishino frowned. Ok, what was going on!?

* * *

"Hello..." Kishino brought his foot down hard, squishing an all too familiar green toad-like youkai to the floor of the hallway.

"Insolent human! How dare you stomp your filthy foot on this Jaken?!" Squawking sounds came from the creature in protest as Kishino increased the pressure.

"Quiet down, Jaken-sama!" He cooed darkly and crouched down, grabbing on to the small retainer's scruff and pulling him up to his face.

"Scream another insult towards me and you will find yourself on the floor again, as a pile of dust!" The threat was uttered in a soft tone, but the strong message was clearly caught by the green toad, who nodded his head frantically.

"Good! I have questions - questions your Lord did not feel inclined to give me - that's no way to treat a newly acquired ally, is it? Ah-ah! Nod for yes, shake your head for no..."

Jaken's eyes bulged even more than normal as he shook his head. Kishino rose, keeping hold of the small youkai. With quick steps he covered the distance to his own quarters, and entered through the barrier, wanting a word in 'private' with his 'captive'.

"Sit..." he gestured to a large cushion on the floor by the fire after dropping Jaken to the floor. The green skinned youkai scrambled to get onto the big soft seating cushion just as the offending human sat down on another right opposite of him.

"Now..." Kishino's lips curled into a cold smile.

"There is a new kind of power surging through the air every now and again...it started tonight...and waves of it keeps rippling through the air...Sesshoumaru-sama did not see it fit for one such as himself to inform me of what this might be...therefor, you will get that honour!"

Jaken blinked his big round eyes repeatedly, his beaklike mouth opening and closing repeatedly without a word coming out.

"Look, if you don't know how to speak anything else than insults towards my humanity, then I'll just have to admit to Sesshoumaru that the pile of dust outside his doorstep tomorrow morning is his late retainer...come on, Jaken-sama, tell me!"

"Why should I tell you anything!?" Jaken finally spat, causing Kishino's eyebrow to twitch slightly.

"He said it was the reason for this gathering..."

"And that's all you need to know, human! New ally or not, this matter does not concern you. It has to do with those involved with the defeat of Naraku! Outsiders wouldn't understand!"

Kishino frowned. But he HAD been part of it! ...then he scoffed, and smiled as he ran a hand down his face.

"Right...Would your opinion on sharing what you know change if I told you I was there, too? For Naraku's defeat, I mean..."

"Insolent whelp! Your lies won't work on this Jaken! You were not! You are not listed as a participant in the defeat of, nor a victim of that filthy dark hanyou!"

"Hn..." Kishino's hand settled on rubbing his chin.

"Did anyone find out what became of the Shikon no Tama?" his gaze locked on the toad, who visibly sweated now as he hadn't anticipated the jewel being mentioned.

"Inuyasha's wench miko took it with her in death!" The toad folded his hands into the sleeves of his haori.

"Has it been seen or sensed since?" Kishino had an unreadable expression on his face which clearly unsettled Jaken greatly by now.

"It has not..." the small youkai admitted slowly, averting his gaze. He was being baited for information, he understood that much.

"...then why did the powerful aura in the air tonight hold remnants of the Shikon no Tama's power?"

"Ack! YOU can sense it!?" Jaken promptly jumped to his feet, pointing a thin finger at the human warrior-priest accusingly.

"My holy powers are unmatched - of course I would recognize the aura of such a legendary relic!" Kishino shrugged his shoulders before frowning deeply. He reached over and gently lowered the gami's pointing hand.

"Question is; why does it's powers still flare when it's gone..." Another mystery...he touched a hand to his chest, as if he could feel the pain from the arrow all over again, yet the pain wasn't there...

Deeply worried now, Kishino got to his feet and gestured for Jaken to leave.

"Do not mention to your Lord that you've spoken to me..."

As Jaken nodded and ran out the door, Kishino moved to said door and leaned on the framework of the door for a moment, thinking hard. Why and how...it made little sense...

He touched his chest again, feeling the hard leather armour under his kosode. His eyes seemed glued to the floor while his mind raced, and then he finally looked up...only to meet the hopeful gazes of several female servants.

He blinked, then quickly closed the door to the sound of disappointed sighs. Seriously, what was up with those ladies!?

* * *

Jaken mumbled to himself as he hurried down the hall. Scary human boy! Daring to ask about the purpose of the gathering like he had the right to know! Daring to say he recognized the Shikon's power! No one had mentioned the Shikon's flare before! What could it mean that the Shikon's power was surfacing this year? Could it mean that the miko wench was still live?

After the toad had passed through the hallway, one shape in particular was left in deep thought. She brushed her long black hair behind her ear and a cold smile passed her lips. So this year there was a memory of the Shikon no Tama's power added to the air...not in twenty years had that occured.

If she could harness that power...then perhaps she could alter her existence...

Kikyou closed the small gap in the door to her and Inuyasha's room, and retreated to the futon where her hanyou rested. Perhaps she could alter his heart as well in the process...anything seemed possible as long as the promise of the Shikon's power was within reach...


	9. How he flew

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

~~~O~~~

* * *

 **CHAPTER NINE - HOW HE FLEW**

* * *

"Kishino-sama, would you and your lovely little ward join me and my husband for a stroll in the gardens?"

Kishino looked up from the last pieces of his meal to gaze into the warm eyes of Sango. The few strings of noodles that he hadn't already slurped into his mouth dropped back into the bowl he'd tactically held up under his chin to avoid spilling.

He quickly swallowed what he had in his mouth and ran the back of his hand across his mouth to clean it.

"I would like that, Sango-sama..." he smiled carefully before gazing at Tsuren.

"Would you like that, Tsuren? Maybe Sango-sama will let you play with Kirara!"

"Yeah! Come on, papa, let's go! I'm done! I'm not more hungry!" The seal cub was off his seat next to Kishino and standing behind his parent-person, bouncing up and down on the spot.

"Tsh, kid, ain't nothin' to be so hyper about! The old cat's no fun!" Inuyasha grumbled further down the dining table, but he silenced quickly when he caught the ice cold stare from the warrior-priest.

"You should love chasing cats, Inuyasha-sama. Aren't you a dog?" Miroku commented brightly.

"Oi!"

"Now, now...stop bristling - you know we mean no harm. Once upon a time, my friend, you even joined us in making jokes. Don't be sneedy just because Kishino handed your ass to you on a silver platter..." the older male got to his feet and hooked his arm with his wife.

"Come, my dear Sango, let's go enjoy the gardens with this lovely young man and the even more lovely Tsuren!"

Kishino smirked cheekily and got to his feet, holding out his hand to Tsuren who grabbed it gingerly and they all walked outside.

Kikyou offered the hanyou next to her a cold gaze.

"We should join them in the gardens, Inuyasha. Perhaps we can get to know the priest better?"

"I know'im well enough alright? He's a friggin' maniac, he is! Cocky bastard, just like my brother, always tellin' me what I'm doin' wrong! I know his type. Ain't nothin' 'bout him I wanna know!"

"I heard he flew in one of the battles he's joined..." the undead miko tried to awaken the hanyou's curiosity. It seemed to work, the dog ears ontop of his head twitched slightly.

"He flew? There's no human who can fly!"

"Rumours says he did!"

"No fuckin' way! C'mon, we're gettin' to the bottom of that bullshit!" The inu hanyou rose from his seat abruptly, grabbed the miko's wrist and tugged her along with him as he stomped out the door and into the gardens.

* * *

Inuyasha and Kikyou found Kishino, Miroku and Sango sitting near a koi-pond, on wooden benches by the edges of the water. The three offered them quick glances of surprise before resuming their chat.

"Oi, what's this I hear 'bout you flyin'?" Inuyasha interrupted, in his true style.

Kishino turned his head towards him, blinking, then eyed Kikyou - who merely tilted her head.

"I can't fly." The warrior-priest replied shortly, then looked back to the older couple on the bench with him.

Not far from them Tsuren was running around trying to catch Kirara in a small field of soft grass and flowers, perfect for running around and playing. Kishino secretly suspected that had been one of Rin's favourite places when she was a child.

"Someone's said you can fly, kid!"

"i'm not a kid!"

"Ki..."

"That's enough, Inu." Shippou's voice interrupted, preventing Inuyasha from starting a fight.

"I'm sorry for joining uninvited, but seeing as it's mostly the old gang, I thought I could..." the fox grinned wickedly, and Kishino fought back a smile of his own.

"Well, the more the merrier, I guess..." he replied politely, and then tilted his head, leaning slightly to the side and trying to glimpse what was behind the fox. Shippou, of course, noticed this.

"Ah. Kishino-sama, this is someone I want you to meet. My mate, Rin." The kitsune stepped slightly to the side to reveal the beautiful young woman.

"Oh, my goodness!" Kishino was on his feet instantly, eyes wide as he made his way over to the pregnant woman.

He came to a stop a few feet away from her, letting his eyes travel her form. She was beautiful! With chocolate brown hair reaching down to her lower back, a yellow kimono with orange flower-prints which didn't hide her slightly swollen abdomen, and big soulful eyes of a slightly darker shade than her hair. She was absolutely beautiful, and he felt a pang of pride. His baby and almost-baby of the past were mated and having a them-baby and they looked so good together he could cry!

...but he didn't cry. He was simply staring. Rin shifted slightly under his gaze, but giggled when her mate carefully bopped his index finger against Kishino's forehead - snapping the human male back into focus.

"Forgive me for staring, lady Rin...in all my travels, I will admit I have never seen someone quite as beautiful as you..."

"She's mated, pupped, and out of your league..." Shippou warned - patting himself on the back for managing to hide his grin.

"Of course, Shippou-sama!" Kishino bowed his head.

"It's an honour to meet you, Kishino-sama! My mate speaks very fondly of you!"

"That's because I didn't purify him upon our first meeting, my Lady. Won't you please, join us?" He gestured with his hand to the bench next to the one he and Sango and Miroku were seated.

"Didn't purify me, huh?" Shippou whispered to him as he and Rin passed him to get to the bench, and Kishino rubbed the back of his neck. Ahaha...

"Oh, is that your ward, Kishino-sama?" Rin squealed in delight upon spotting Tsuren out in the field.

"Indeed! He is a seal-youkai..."

"He's so fluffy!"

"Even more so in his seal-form..." Kishino promised, and the woman's eyes shone brightly with the idea of a fluffy little seal, causing her mate to chuckle.

Eventually, Kishino got to seat himself next to the older monk and ex-slayer. Inuyasha and Kikyou had taken seats on the soft grass.

"Ok, it seems there is a rumour I need to clear up..." He sighed, and six pair of eyes turned to stare at him expectantly.

"I can't fly." He stated, frowning slightly.

"I guess it's about eight years ago now...I was asked, by a human lord in the northern regions, to lend my assistance in an ongoing war between humans and monkey-youkai from the surrounding mountains. The monkey-tribe in question had, sadly, been affected by a serious case of rabies - Kami only knows how. In their rabid, feral state there was no negotiating with them...They were a danger to themselves, and to other youkai and humans living in those mountains..."

Kishino shrugged his shoulders, then cast Shippou a sour glance when the fox whispered to his mate to keep an eye on his shoulders and count how many times he shrugged during the tale.

"Just because they were rabid didn't mean they were weak. They attacked relentlessly, mercilessly. For days, and weeks, months. Humans don't really heal very fast, or very well, and many warriors died - hence the summoning of myself..."

Kishino leaned back on the bench, resting his arms across the back of it - creating quite a relaxed image as he spoke.

"I did what I could. I tried to purify the illness from the youkai, but it proved futile, it had a much to strong hold on their blood. I had to purify them completely." The sadness of that memory showed on his young face.

"It was during the final days of battle. We had managed to draw out their leader. And he didn't come unprepared. He was bcked up by several mountain onis. They carried large boulders with them - throwing them at the walls protecting the Lord's castle. The plank floor I stood on at the time was hit, and I suddenly found myself catapulted through the air."

Kishino made a whistling sound while gesturing with a hand in the air, drawing an invisible arch to describe his flight.

"All in all it turned out alright, it got me close enough to purify the big monkey...but my trip through the air didn't stop. My line of flight unfortunately sent me downhill, so I tried to manifest my reiki in order to try and slow my fall without much luck. So, I continued soaring until i found myself at the foot of the mountain. My barriers prevented too much damage to my person..."

His eyes focused on the audience around him.

"That's how I flew. There's no magic, I was at the wrong place at the right time...and ended up with my backside full of thistles."

He was about to shrug, but caught Rin's expectant gaze and froze his actions.

"How many times did I shrug?" he asked the fox and his mate. Rin giggled and held up seven fingers.

"You really ARE a shrugger!" Shippou snorted a chuckle, causing Kishino to shrug again with a small smile on his lips.

"Keh. That's all ya did? Getting thrown through the air by accident!?" Inuyasha grunted irritably, and Kishino blinked at him.

"Told you it wasn't magic..."

"Kishino-sama, pardon me for asking, but...have you, during your travels, ever come across a relic called the Shikon no Tama?" Kikyou's emotionless voice turned the playful atmosphere heavy.

"I have heard tales of the item you speak of..." Kishino replied, hesitantly.

"Most of the tales revolve around the inutachi group, ending with the defeat of Naraku...then the tales stop..."

"I can sense it in the air..." Kikyou then surprised them all by saying.

Kishino was the only one who narrowed his eyes at her statement. She was lying... Oh, he was going to purify a certain green toad's ass later!

"Perhaps it's power will return to us as we gather tonight to reminisce!" The undead miko looked to them all, certain they would all be pleased to hear this. No one spoke, so she took it as that.

"It's been twenty years. Perhaps that's the time it needed to restore itself to this time! Tonight, I will attempt to draw it's purity back to us, so it's once again where it belongs...I was once the Shikon Miko - I should be able to restore its essence..."

Kishino listened to the others gasp. How would she attempt to draw the Shikon no Tama back when it didn't exist anymore? Did she even have the powers to do that?

Something was telling Kishino that he needed to attend tonight's reminiscing.

"Where does this reminiscing take place?" He asked quietly. Just in case he didn't get an invitation, at least he'd know where to go...

"...by the cliffs, Kishino-sama..." Rin replied with a sad smile.

Kishino's strong will kept him from flinching at the mention of the cliffs. He didn't even need to know the details of where to go. He knew exactly what cliffs Rin meant...He definitely needed to attend...

"Hn." He leaned back on the bench, bending one knee and locking his arms around the leg.

"So, Sango-sama...you were about to tell me about yours and Miroku-sama's life after the final battle! I am very curious to know of the lives of the legendary monk and slayer!" he changed the subject, just like that.

"It was not easy in the beginning..." Sango's face grew sad at the memories.

"It's been far from exciting, I assure you, Kishino-sama. We've lead a peaceful life the past twenty years. We lost a very important person in our lives...Kagome. We had been through so much together, she was like a younger sister to both me and Miroku...She healed both our hearts with her friendship, her acceptance of us as a whole - she never saw us for our pasts, nor judged us based on our actions or beliefs...she opened our eyes in so many ways, especially regarding youkai and other non-humans..."

The older woman brought a hand to her eye to remove the moisture from the corner of it. It was clearly very hard to talk about it.

"After we defeated Naraku, we all gathered on the cliffs in the Western Lands. We were supposed to come up with the most selfless wish to make the Shikon no Tama disappear for good, Kagome was going to be the one to make the wish - as she was the purest, most selfless person out of us all."

Sango's voice hitched breathlessly, and Miroku snaked his arm around her shoulders, supporting her as she spoke.

"Just as she was about to make the pure wish, a sacred arrow shot out from the nearby forest, and she threw herself in front of Sesshoumaru as it was heading directly towards him. It happened so fast...we didn't even see exactly where the arrow came from, and we couldn't sense any aura to give us a location or find any clue as to who had shot the arrow. Anyway...our dear friend disappeared into the water below the cliffs, never to be seen again..."

Sango's head came to rest on Miroku's shoulder, and Kishino ached to reach out to comfort her as well. In the end he reached out a hand and placed it on the older woman's shoulder. His self-control was being tested.

"I'm sorry, it sounds painful..." he whispered.

"You have no idea, Kishino-sama..." Miroku replied in place of his wife.

"After weeks of searching for our lost friend, we eventually returned to Edo. We built a hut, got married...and served as the village's protectors for many years. We have five children and two grandchildren...and we kept protecting the village until our age seemed to catch up to us. Now that task has befallen our children...and we can live out our days without having to fight...We aren't as strong or as fast as we once were...our warrior-days are over..."

Kishino clenched his teeth. He wished he'd been brave and gone back once she was back on land!

"Every year, on the day she disappeared, we return to where the old well used to be, to place down flowers in her memory. She was deeply loved. And we will never forget her...we've had a good life, a happy life. But we aren't sure we could've had that without her..."

Miroku heaved a heavy sigh, and Shippou nodded, Rin was discretely wiping her eyes with the sleeves of her kimono, and Inuyasha was oddly silent.

"Inuyasha aided in protecting the village, did the heavy lifting, got rid of the stronger youkai that me and Sango couldn't...Kikyou became the village miko and healer when Kaede-sama passed away. Together we've all complimented eachother in means of skills..."

"I'm sorry..." Kishino's voice was hoarse with emotion, and he quickly cleared his throat.

"Losing someone that important to you must be terrible...but at least you had a good life. Her life and death was not in vain...you are still very brave people..."

He felt Shippou's worried gaze on him, but he didn't give his personal grief away other than a small frown on his brows.

"You said you were familiar with the legend of the Shikon no Tama..." Kikyou's voice cut through the heavy atmosphere, causing Kishino's back to straighten noticeably. The young man squared his shoulders and his eyes hardened as he met the undead miko's cold gaze with a glare of his own.

"I wish not to trade stories of the jewel after hearing that you still desire it's power, Kikyou. If anything, I should join your reminiscing just to keep you from polluting whatever residue of Shikon power that's still in the air!"

He dismissed the subject just like that, ignoring the fierce glare the undead miko sent him, and gazed at Shippou and Rin instead. The coldness faded from his stormy blue eyes and he offered them both a smile.

A more comfortable silence fell over the group once more. They watched the firecat and the youkai seal cub play in the field of flowers - not quite as energetic as before.

"Hn..." Kishino smiled wryly. His little boy needed a nap.

"Tsuren! Come on, little man, it's time to rest up! You shouldn't spend all your energy at once!" He called to his cub, and the little boy gave a loud 'awwww!', which caused both Rin and Sango to giggle. The cute little face of the youkai seal was too endearing! The small pout really made one want to hand the world to him just to make him smile again.

Fortunately Kishino had, after ten years, hardened himself to withstand said pout, and he held out his arm to his ward, gesturing with his hand for the child to come over. The seal quickly forgot his pouting and rushed over, jumping into his parent's lap and snuggling into him while Kirara returned to Sango's lap.

"If you will excuse me, I'll take my son to our chambers and let him nap for a bit...thank you for listening to my story, and sharing your own with me..." The warrior-priest got to his feet and bowed his head slightly before he started on his way back inside the Castle.

* * *

 **A.N.:** _ **All these cups of peppermint tea better be good for something! Anyway, so this is the last chapter this weekend *dunn dunn dunnnnnnn* I feel almost mean leaving it like this until next weekend when I have more time off to write...but...PERHAPS, I'll type something during the week - given that I have time and feel the overwhelming urge... XD**_


	10. Echo

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

~~~O~~~

 **A.N.:** _**Alrighty, then! This is the most difficult chapter this far! To get everything I see in my head typed down into this chapter has NOT been easy, as I sometimes really struggle describing things in written words - which seriously mocks up my writing some times...Soooo, I have purposefully postponed this chapter till today because I wanted it to be a great one. I have no recollection of how many times I've read through this, edited, rewritten or otherwise revised this chapter...but here it is! Not sure if it's a GREAT chapter, but I need to post it and be done with it :P**_

 _ **This chapter is VERY prone to be revised during the upcoming days once my mind's processed the entire chapter properly (that's what one get when writing stories on the go) so this might not be the final version of it...just a heads up...**_

 _ **Don't shoot me! And no, the story is NOT over yet! Not at all... XD**_

 _ **...right...on to the story!**_

* * *

 **CHAPTER TEN - ECHO**

* * *

"This is insane!"

Kishino rubbed her temples. Another, much stronger flare of the foreign power had just blasted through the air, penetrating the stone walls and rattling her inner peace thoroughly. She had a smashing headache because of it - flashbacks of the evening twenty years ago kept appearing in her mind every time the energies rose. It was maddening!

Evening had arrived, everyone was preparing to leave for the cliffs, and she knew he had to follow them. The mere idea of Kikyou being able to siphon the residual energies from the Shikon no Tama was not something she could just ignore or brush aside as an empty threat. She was still it's protector!

She had learned that the youkai nobles weren't present for the gathering at the cliffs, merely the festivities at the Castle later in the evening. Ok, that was agreeable to her.

Tsuren was sleeping soundly behind several protective barriers which she had woven carefully and intricately to keep the slumbering child safe in her absence. She would need to move swiftly, and keep her focus on remaining completely undetected, she couldn't bring the seal-youkai with her. He'd be safer and warmer here, anyway.

"Love you, baby!" she whispered quietly to her cub, stroking his soft hair with a gentle hand.

"Kishino-sama?" Sango's voice outside her door.

"Yeah?" Her voice automatically adjusted to drop several octaves, immediately adapting into the male 'version' of herself. HE replied calmly to the woman outside the door, his voice now slightly raspy from the contained emotions he currently struggled to keep under control.

"We're heading out now. Will we see you for the morning meal?" the older woman's voice sounded so tired...

"Of course..." he pressed out between his lips, gritting his teeth slightly afterwards. He understood that this evening was a very difficult and painful event for the woman he had seen as his sister in everything but blood.

Kishino closed his eyes. Sango...he wanted to throw everything out the window. His disguise, his fears, his pride, his damn stubbornness! Right now he wished for nothing more than to simply pull the woman into his room, embrace her, and tell her everything - but alas, it was not yet the right time...his guts told him to keep it quiet a little longer...

 _'I'm sorry, Sango...'_

* * *

He gave them all a ten minute head start – plus the minutes he spent pacing restlessly.

He spent those 'ten' minutes going over his weapons – he didn't need the battle staff, and he was pondering whether or not he should bring the long bow. He ended up slinging both the arrows and the long bow over his head in the end and breathed a little easier once he had them hanging securely across his back. The short bow was in its normal position, strapped to his right thigh, and the katana at his left hip.

"Keep focus…" he murmured lightly to himself. He rolled his shoulders. Nervous, him!? Like you wouldn't believe!

"It's just a meeting-place of great importance to everyone…let's not mock this up. Kikyou's your main concern…"

* * *

 _After he had put Tsuren to bed earlier, he had hunted down Jaken and had some…'words' with him regarding his out-loud mutterings when moving through the halls of the Castle. At first, the small green youkai had shouted insult after the other at him for daring to even raise his voice to the Lord's faithful retainer - but the toad had, in the end, given a very heartfelt apology and sworn a solemn oath to remain quiet in the hallways from then on. Jaken really did not wish for more lumps in his head, nor bootprints on his back. The threat of instant purification also helped his decision..._

 _Once Jaken's silence was ensured, Kishino had urged him to tell him everything he knew about what was going to take place on the cliffs._

 _The toad didn't know very much as he never attended, but from what he had heard from others there were images of the past appearing every year at the same night that the arrow sent Kagome off the cliff. Actual moving images; ghost-like apparitions of those who were gathered and what they did up till the moment the arrow struck._

 _Kishino had never heard about anything like this before, but from what he gathered; it seemed as if an echo of the past was bouncing off that very evening and an event in the future…forced to repeat itself until it came to the point in the future which it somehow interacted with… It sounded like it was taken right out of a science-fiction book or movie! And she had SEEN movies like that in her time!_

* * *

Kishino dropped his male posture for a moment, and pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes as if physically forcing the surfacing tears back. This was a lot to take in...if there was, indeed, an echo of the past...she wasn't sure she wanted to relive that evening…it would require a great level of strength…both mentally and emotionally. Just being HERE, in the Castle, was shaking her control, and that said a lot!

Pacing. Back and forth. Arguing with herself inside her head:

 _Go, get in there - disturb their little annual come-together!_

 _Don't go, stay out of it - it's really not my place to interfere with their memories!_

 _Go, protect - I can't let Kikyou go through with that insane plan!_

 _Don't go, what if something goes wrong!? - They're gonna be ANGRY!_

 _Go, move this sorry butt out of this room now! For Kami's sake, it's YOUR memories, too! Let them be angry!_

So, ten minutes after the others had left (maybe a few minutes more, who's counting, right?), she had made up her mind. With weapons in place, she once again adapted her more masculine posture, squared her shoulders, angled her jaw slightly and her eyes became more narrowed.

He had the right to be there, too. Even if they didn't know his real identity at the moment, it did concern him - and he'd be damned if he allowed some undead clay golem to use whatever little powers she had left in her to attempt to interfere with the echo of the past!

Kishino rolled his neck then jumped out the window. He could have used the stairs, and the doors, but he was in a mood for drama. Leaping out windows was dramatic!

There would be no more dallying, no more hesitating or delaying, no more hiding. If Kikyou planned to siphon the energy of the echoing jewel, then he had to stop her.

He landed perfectly on his feet outside the Castle, the drop hadn't been too far, about twice his height – which was no trouble for him at all. The drama-level decreased slightly, he thought humourlessly to himself.

As he took off running, it struck him that perhaps this was the moment...perhaps this was the evening the echo of the past bounced off of...So, who shot the arrow then? Could it have been Kikyou? Could the arrow in his chest come from the undead miko's attempt to get the jewel?

"Bitch!" he hissed under his breath, cloaking his aura tightly and reeling in his emotions, he was not allowing his temper to run away with him tonight. There would come a time when he could freely discharge his pent up anger...but that was not tonight.

* * *

"Oi, Sesshoumaru, ya bastard! Tell me again why you're attending!" Inuyasha grumbled, walking alongside his brother...sorry, half-brother, for once. The trip to the cliffs was well underway, they would be arriving at their destination soon.

"Hn, must I remind you, every year, that this Sesshoumaru was there that evening, too?"

"Don't gimme that old shit, Sesshoumaru! Ya always say that! What're ya really doin' on that cliff, huh?!"

"Is it that unthinkable, hanyou, that this Sesshoumaru simply pays his respects to the Miko?" the taiyoukai's tone of voice sounded bored.

It was the same every year. Clearly Inuyasha didn't think he had any place there with them – so perhaps he was just joining them to annoy his half-brother...but mostly to pay his respects.

"Inuyasha, he assisted in the final battle, and he was present for when the Shikon no Tama was about to be used for a selfless wish..." Miroku gently reminded the bristling hanyou.

"Keh!"

Inuyasha folded his arms into the sleeves of his firerat haori. On his other side, Kikyou was walking quietly - the closer they came to the cliffs the more intense the energies of the echo became and she could definitely sense the Shikon no Tama, though it's power was faint. She was convinced she could coax it from the past into the present, and restore it so it was no longer lost. The undead miko's empty, brown eyes glanced down at the transparent glass-orb which rested in one of her hands. If she could contain the energies within the orb...it would become a physical power which she could consume, and thus restore herself…

"I'm not sure you should do this, Kikyou..." Sango spoke softly to the miko, the ex-slayer was seated on the back of Kirara, and she could feel how unsettled her neko companion was. Something was going to happen tonight, of this she was sure.

"It's my duty to restore it!" The clay miko responded coolly, and that reply made Sango frown. The Shikon was in no ways Kikyou's responsibility or duty anymore! It had been rightfully passed to Kagome! Just because Kagome was gone didn't mean the title as the Protector of the Shikon no Tama went back to Kikyou...

Sango and Miroku exchanged looks between themselves, both greatly worried for the outcomes of this evening. Though Kikyou was both kind and well thought of, and had in no ways caused any of them to doubt her good intentions after Naraku's defeat, they were all fairly sure that the undead priestess was not pure enough of heart to keep the Jewel, if restored successfully, pure.

* * *

"We're here..." Shippou's voice cut through the tension in the air, and they all focused on the clearing just by the edge of the cliff. They headed out of the treeline in unison, as a group, and stood on the grasscovered ground with the salty sea air in their faces. No words were spoken for a while…

"We're here early..." Inuyasha grunted, and flomped down rather unceremoniously on the grass, watching the scene before him with solemn eyes. Kikyou took a seat next to him, rolling the glass-orb in her palm - she almost seemed to be fidgeting.

Miroku and Sango sat down a few meters away from the hanyou and the undead miko, Kirara transformed into her smaller form and jumped into Sango's lap while Shippou and Rin seated themselves with the two humans, and Sesshoumaru stood off to the side, refusing to sit.

They waited.

The moon was high in the sky, and stars twinkled brightly behind scattered cotton clouds. The flare of power in the air became heavier as the minutes ticked by. They knew it neared the time when faint voices began to filter into the otherwise quiet night.

 _"Come on, Inuyasha! Don't be such a grump! It's gonna be fiiiiiine!"_ A cheerful girl's voice rang through the air.

 _"Don't call me a grump, wench! I ain't an old man!"_

 _"Older than meee!"_

 _"Gee, Kagome, you sure are in a good mood!"_ Shippou's young voice cut through.

 _"Sure am, Shippou-kun! This is the evening we say goodbye to the jewel! Just think, no one will be able to get to it, ever again!"_

Slowly, the ghostly apparitions began to filter out from the trees. Kagome was running ahead, with Shippou trailing right behind her. Inuyasha next, walking beside a newly brought back Kikyou, steadying her in her steps as she was greatly weakened. Miroku and Sango followed behind with Kirara.

 _"Isn't this place perfect!?"_ Kagome's eyes glittered happily, and she clapped her hands together excitedly, spinning around to face her companions.

 _"The moon, the stars, the ocean, the breeze, the trees! It's so serene! It's perfect for this occasion!"_ The young human miko's aura was positively glowing with happiness. Her companions couldn't help but smile. Their little ray of sunshine...

 _"Kagome-chan! Wait for Rin!"_

Out of the treeline ran a small girl, stumbling in her own feet in her rush to get to the older human girl, but getting up and continuing her race to get to the older female.

 _"I'll always wait for you, sweetpie!"_ Kagome cooed sweetly, leaning down and catching the child in her arms, giving her a light hug.

 _"Ooooh, you've grown so big, Rin-chan!"_ She nuzzled the little girl affectionately before gazing up at the Youkai Lord.

 _"I'm so happy you could join us, Sesshoumaru-sama!"_ The young miko bowed her head respectfully, and the taiyoukai surprised most of them by inclineing his head without a word to the miko.

 _"Keh! The bastard's just here to make sure you don't mess up!"_

 _"Inuyasha!"_ Sango elbowed the hanyou in the side.

 _"Kagome won't mess up! Stop being rude!"_

 _"My lovely Sango is right, you know! Kagome has proven more times than we can count that she is very capable of protecting the jewel..."_

 _"Feh, she's also lost it many times as well..."_ Inuyasha huffed.

Kouga and Ayame had joined the others by now, and were looking at the ghostly images with emotional eyes. Inuyasha's ears were twitching, and his soulful golden eyes held unspoken emotions as his gaze rested on the semi-transparent image of Kagome. He missed her. He missed her terribly!

 _"Are we all here?"_ The image of a younger Sango inquired while looking around. Miroku checked, for the sake of it, that all were present, and nodded. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru stood on each side of the Miko as she prepared herself for making the wish that would make the jewel disappear for good.

Everyone's eyes were resting on the young miko now, and she visibly swallowed. This was it...one could see she was nervous. They could see that she wanted to cry. This was the end to their adventure, the end to their quest.

 _"I...don't know what will happen after I make this wish, guys...the well might close, trapping me here - or I'll be returned to the future and not be able to return..."_ she rubbed her eyes to dry the tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks while scoffing at her own obvious display of emotions.

 _"I just want you all to know, if I disappear, that I love and respect each and every one of you...you've all, in your own way, taught me a lot - and I will remember you, always! And if I end up staying here, well...then you all know how I feel about you for future reference..."_

Her breath hitched slightly, her emotional struggle was clear for all to see.

 _"I have thought a great deal about what to wish for, and..."_ she had to pause, sniffing and clenching her hand around the complete jewel around her neck before she yanked the chain and held it in her palm, it's eerie glow shining brightly thanks to the purity of her heart.

Kikyou stepped through the transparent images now, and no one had even noticed that she had moved from her place beside Inuyasha. She held out the transparent glass-orb, her palm glowing a soft purple while she chanted softly to herself.

"Kikyou, what are you doing!?" Shippou snarled, suddenly realizing that the solid shape among the transparent ones wasn't a part of the animated memories they all were watching. Everyone's eyes were ripped from the ghostly images and focusing on the clay miko.

"It's time!" Kikyou snapped at the kitsune before she focused her powers on the transparent image of the past jewel again, and to everyone's absolute shock, the echo's energy seemed to be drawn to the glass-orb.

The ghostly image of Kagome frowned as she gazed at the Shikon in her palm, like she sensed something happening to it.

"DON'T YOU DARE!"

Everyone turned their heads to the trees as the loud warning shout rang out, eyes widening as the shimmering pink sacred arrow flew from the dark shadows through the air, right at Kikyou. But the undead miko ducked quickly, avoiding the lethal projectile - and the transparent form of Kagome threw herself in front of the echo of Sesshoumaru in an attempt to stop it.

To everyone's utter horror, the solid arrow seemed to physically lodge itself in the transparent Kagome's chest, and they couldn't do anything else than watch as she stumbled backwards, her eyes wide with surprise, shock, and pain. Her ghostly companions were experiencing the same shock, some gazing around hoping to see where that arrow came from, others gaping at the scene that's just unfolded. Both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru from the past seemed frozen, unable to react despite their enhanced reflexes and speed. Kagome's arms flailed, one of her hands tightly clenched around the jewel before she lost her footing and disappeared over the edge of the cliff.

"NO!" Kikyou shrieked, throwing herself forwards in a hopeless attempt at reaching the disappearing girl and the legendary Shikon no Tama.

"NO!" She repeated when she realized they were out of her reach, her fingers digging into the grass in pure frustration.

Shouting voices of the apparitions crowded the air as the running see-through shapes blurred around the undead clay miko, the sheer volume of their cries hurting everyone's ears - then the images simply...faded.

They had all relived this moment many times, but this was by far the most confusing, most intense, most horrible experience they had had during their annual meetings here.

"WHAT!?" Inuyasha roared, breaking the stunned silence while running to the edge of the cliff. He dropped to his knees and leaned on his hands, looking down at the raging waves crashing against the steep rock down below. What the...!?

Everyone stared at the cliff's edge with wide eyes, before very slowly turning their heads to the trees again. The sacred arrow...it had been shot from the future?! They stared at the black-clad form of the warrior-priest, who had stepped out from between the trees.

Kishino stared blankly at the cliff's edge. He was highly aware, but unafraid of the gazes now resting upon his form. Slowly, very slowly, his eyes shifted and his blank stare landed on the longbow which was still clenched in his hand.

"Well, I'll be damned..." his voice soft, surprised, almost dazed.

The next second he was pinned to the ground by a furious inu hanyou.

"You shot her!" Inuyasha snarled while his eyes bled red. His claws dug deeply into the arms of the warrior-priest as he forced the limp appendages down against the grass - red blood flowed from the deep puncture wounds, soaking into the ground beneath them.

Kishino's distant gaze moved do directly stare at the lethal creature above him, and he couldn't help but attempt to pull his shoulders up in a shrug, which proved hard seeing as his arms were pinned down.

"YOU!?" the inu hanyou was furious! Snarling ferociously at the human's face, raising one hand to strike down.

"YOU KILLED KAGOME!"

"GET OFF HIM!" Shippou shouted at the hanyou, leaping at the angry male, only to be intercepted by Sesshoumaru. The taiyoukai's hand pushed against the kitsune's chest lightly, but the warning to stay back was clear.

"It's his right to punish the miko's murderer!" He reminded his Heir in a cold tone.

"But you don't understand...it's..." Shippou grit his teeth, casting Kishino a broken look. Behind Shippou's back, Kouga was snarling - close to feral himself after what he'd just witnessed.

"Kishino-sama, how could you!?" Sango sobbed brokenly, while Miroku's gaze showed both hurt and betrayal as he stared at the warrior-priest who was securely contained beneath their hanyou companion.

"I DID NOT KILL HER!" Kishino growled, surprising them all, his voice had a confident volume as he began to thrash under Inuyasha's weight, trying to free himself, resulting in the hanyou's claws tearing deeper gashes in his upper arms.

"Listen to him!" Shippou hissed desperately.

"Get Inuyasha off him! The dead provide no answers!" Sesshoumaru then growled at his Heir, and Shippou didn't need to be told twice. With immense speed, he darted at the redclad male and tore him away from the priest, rolling across the ground with the inu hanyou, growls and snarls coming from them both.

Kishino was on his knees the next second, his stormy blue eyes narrowed and focused as he pulled back an arrow on his short bow, then let it fly.

Kikyou and Inuyasha's screams pierced the night in unison.

* * *

Kishino didn't have time to savour the moment before he found himself pinned to the nearest tree by the Wolf Prince himself; long fangs bared in a snarl, sharp claws locked around his fragile human neck.

"MURDERER!" Kouga's deep voice was ragged as his bloodred gaze left no doubt about the fact that he would kill the human in his lethal grasp.

Kishino gasped for air, his own hands locking around the youkai's wrist in a futile attempt at removing it from his throat.

"I...haven't..." he managed, showing the wolf no fear, only defiance, which resulted in further restriction of his airways. He gagged, feeling his windpipe constrict under the sheer pressure.

"Kouga! Let go of him!" Shippou called warningly while he, himself, struggled with containing a frenzied Inuyasha.

"He killed Kagome! He killed Kikyou!" Inuyasha howled with grief, kicking at Shippou to get him off him!

Kishino managed a cold smirk at the hanyou's words while dangling in the claws of the wolf-youkai.

"I killed no one!" he rasped, before focusing his reiki into his palms, burning the flesh clean off the Wolf Prince's wrist before Kouga managed to pull away from his power.

He landed heavily on the ground, coughing for air and clasping a hand over his injured throat, then quickly projected a barrier around himself just in time to avoid having his head chopped off by Kouga's claws. The sharp claws scratched along the barrier, causing an angry sizzling sound and pink sparks to fly through the air from the contact - resulting in the wolf pulling his hand to his chest with a hiss, angry red scorchmarks covering his fingers.

Kishino remained calm. He'd never felt this calm in his entire life, which was kinda strange - because he was pretty darn sure he was on everyone's list of _'who-to-kill-first'_ at the moment. The barrier around him was, at this given time, the only thing that kept him alive.

"Allow me to explain...then you can kill me!" He muttered quietly at the offended group, looking at each and every one in turn.

It broke his heart to see Rin crying so heartbrokenly. His heart shattered completely at the sight of Sango collapsing on the ground with Miroku right next to her, holding her and rocking her in attempts to soothe her. He hated seeing Shippou so torn, hated seeing Inuyasha so utterly destroyed. He strongly disliked the fact that Kouga had tried to chop his head off, but he HAD expected the wolf to somehow try to directly kill him if Inuyasha didn't. Sesshoumaru, of course, kept his ice cold, unemotional wits about him. Glorious...

Slowly he rose to his feet, the protective barrier shimmering brightly around him as he moved. He ignored the angry wolf youkai, the stoic taiyoukai, and the close to insane hanyou - whom had now freed himself from the kitsune's grasp and was speeding towards him.

Kishino walked to the one sliver of a soul that remained hovering above the pile of ashes, which was all that remained of Kikyou. He knelt down by it, and slowly held out his hand. It pulsated a faint purple, slowly dimming without a body to contain and maintain it.

Inuyasha slammed his fists against the barrier behind him, yelling curses at him, threatening him with various painful deaths.

"It's Kagome's soul! It doesn't belong to you, you fuckin' bastard! You murderer! You filthy, low-breed son of a bitch! Leave Kagome's soul alone! It's all I have left! I'll rip you to shreds if you touch it!"

"Come back to me..." Kishino whispered, for now ignoring Inuyasha's angry shouts, and the sliver instantly turned a pure sakura pink before shooting into the warrior-priest's chest.

Then there was silence. Growling stopped, snarling ceased, and sobbing abruptly quieted.

Kishino picked up the empty glass-orb that Kikyou had held in her hand not ten minutes ago, rolling it in his calloused palm as he stood up straight. His soul was now complete. He felt it, a warm sensation spreading throughout his body.

"Twenty years ago..." he started, with his back turned to the entire group, his fingers closing around the orb while his eyes stared out at the ocean below.

"Twenty years ago, on this day, I fell from this very cliff with an arrow in my chest..." his voice was thick with emotion and he drew a sharp, ragged breath to regain control of himself.

"I fell into the ocean below, and none of you found my body..." he tipped his palm, and the glass-orb rolled down his fingers and fell down towards the waves far below.

"The hell is this bullshit!?" Inuyasha snarled, claws ripping against the barrier which no longer served to purify youkai, just to simply protect the caster, but he couldn't get through. The barrier was too strong. But before he could draw Tetsusaiga and use it to break the barrier, the older of the humans females stopped him.

"Kishino-sama...?" Sango sobbed, having gotten to her feet despite her husbands protests, and she lunged forwards through the barrier, which allowed it, and grasped on to the young man's arms. She had caught on to the actual meaning of the unexpected words. She had to know!

"I'm sorry, Sango..." Kishino murmured, his narrow eyes softened, his jaw relaxed - giving his face back its feminine shape. He gently pried one of the older woman's hands from his still bleeding arms and reached up to untie the leather-strap which kept his long hair up. The jet black strands fell like a thick silken cape down his back, cascading over the shoulders in gentle waves to frame a now much more recognizable face.

At that time, it was only Sango who could see the priest's face, and the older woman paled visibly before a shaky breath escaped her. A heartwrenching sob passed through her lips as she raised her trembling hands to cup the face she now gazed into. Thumbs brushed over soft cheeks, smearing blood across the soft skin, chocolate brown orbs locked with stormy blue. Kagome...she was looking at Kagome...but how?

"I've missed you..." Kishino whispered softly, then quickly dropped to her knees to catch the weight of the other female as she collapsed against her. Kishino buried her nose into the older woman's hair as Sango cried out against her shoulder, and she let her. She hugged her tightly, clutching on to the older woman for dear life. She would've taken all of the other woman's grief upon herself if she could!

"WHAT'S GOING ON!?" Inuyasha shrieked, hammering his hands against the barrier.

"What have you done to Sango!? I'll fuckin' kill ya, ya murderin' b.."

Kishino's eyebrow twitched in annoyance right about there.

"SIT!"

 ***THUMP***

So he still had the beads, huh? She had kinda hoped that he did. Though she had thought them to be gone, because she had no recollection of having seen them on his person earlier...He must have somehow hidden the beaded necklace under his clothes, clever dog!

The silence on the other side of the barrier became palpable.

Kishino hugged Sango to her, tightly, kissing the top of her head gently and inhaling her scent deeply - she found comfort, and renewed courage as she hugged the older female. It was now or never...

Preferably; never - but she had sort of put her foot in it now, so...

"I'm so sorry, Sango...I'll explain everything, I promise..." She whispered intently before she put her feet under herself and stood, pulling the other female up with her. With Sango still clutching on to her, she turned to face the rest of the group. The long hair whipped around her shoulders as she finally faced them as not just Kishino, warrior-priest, but as the girl who had left them all behind twenty years ago.

Miroku gasped for air, clutching at his chest, eyes wide with both fear and disbelief. Shippou merely gave her a small, proud smile while hugging a shocked Rin to his side and preventing his pregnant mate from falling to the ground. Kouga was staring, mouth agape, along with Ayame. Even Sesshoumaru's eyes had widened a fraction.

Kishino kept her arm around Sango's trembling shoulders, but straightened her back as she gazed at each and every one of those present. In the end, her eyes came to rest on the shellshocked hanyou in front of her - whose eyes were staring up at her despite his body being currently pinned to the ground by an old spell...HER spell.

"Twenty years ago my name was Kagome Higurashi - and I was the Protector of the Shikon no Tama..."

* * *

 **A.N.:** _ **Omg, guys, I just have to say this! I had NEVER, not in a million days, thought that this story would be quite this popular! Thank you all for reading, thank you for reviews and feedback! Just...thank you! More chapters will follow soon, I promise! There's healing required, questions to be answered, old emotions to sort through - it's quite a mess, but I'm positive I'll have fun typing it up!**_


	11. The Talk

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

~~~O~~~

 **A.N.:** _ **...I'd like to start with an incredibly long and heartfelt apology for not updating sooner. Just kidding, I'm not gonna. Well, kinda...or not... Sooooo...my reason for my absense is; life kinda bitch-slapped me.**_

 _ **Life happens - between work being a chaotic circus at the moment, raising a child, the ex, the drama of dealing with the ex' parents without going mad, losing a good friend...there's just not been much time to write, nor any frantic need to write...I'm just...tired.**_

 _ **BUT!**_

 _ **Lookie, I've written another chapter! *points* Now give me my coffee, or I'll cry!**_

 _ **Don't go flaming me for the sudden change of scenery, or else I WILL rant and remind you all about my reasons for writing - which is entirely based on whim**_ _*determined fingerpoint at info on profile*_ _ **Whim...I find that word so funny! Whim...**_ _*snort*_

 _ ***I***_ _ **needed the change of scenery in order to 'get on with it', but for those who feel cheated of the drama, I will sneak in flashbacks, chill.. ;)**_

* * *

 **CHAPTER ELEVEN - THE TALK**

* * *

Golden eyes had been watching the cluster of seals all day.

Some of them stayed in their more humanoid youkai forms while others spent lazy days in the sand as seals, only entering the water to hunt for food. Curious creatures. Docile, peaceful, friendly...

He especially watched the human woman who walked among them as one of them...She shared meals with them, interacted with them like they were family, played with the children, hunted with them, laughed with them...

In the short day he'd observed them, he was convinced that this woman was, indeed, his old friend. No one could smile like that, except Kagome. The light she radiated when she was truly happy was still painfully present. Despite the hurt, he couldn't help but long for the light of her smile.

At the moment she was playing...she was chasing after the children, their delighted squeals and ringing laughter reached his sensitive ears long before any human ears would've picked up the sound. She had the seal-cub she called her own on her back while she ran around trying to capture the others.

He wasn't sure why he found this to be an appropriate time to approach. Perhaps the years HAD taught him some strategy - better approach someone when they are in a good mood rather than risk getting limbs burnt to crisps.

He was on edge. She was responsible for his past love's final demise after all...

His enhanced senses were on high alert, had he been a mortal dog his fur would've been bristling. He was reluctant to face her - half afraid of her response to him, half afraid of his response to her. They weren't exactly friends anymore...were they? Had the twenty years of separation divided them too much? Perhaps...

Clearly she had sensed his aura way before he came into view, because she sent the children back towards the rest of the pack, including her own cub.

His troubled thoughts halted along with his steps, and his gaze locked on her person directly, his ears flicked back to press against his skull - how would he do this?

"What are you doing here, Inuyasha?" Her voice was void of emotion as she turned from her game of tag with the seal-cubs to face him. Her stunning, deep blue eyes locked on him without even the slightest sign of friendly welcome.

He hadn't expected a hug or anything...but maybe...something else than indifference...

The inu hanyou almost recoiled, but instead he stood firm with his arms crossed over his chest. His golden eyes made contact with hers. They stared at eachother, unmoving, silent - tension building rapidly.

She looked...female. Her hair was free of its ties and blowing around her in the gentle sea breeze, a healthy shine to the long silken strands made the raven locks seem to glow. She was dressed more like a woman now than when he'd seen her last - at the cliffs - three months ago:

She wore wide, black trousers which were tied around her ankles, and a feminine kosode of a silver colour.

A pale pink obi with cyan and turquoise floral embroidery was tightly tied around her small waist and her faithful katana was attached to it. She looked like a woman of this time - yet she didn't. There was absolutely nothing overly feminine about her, yet she definitely was. She had the curves of a woman, but the way she held herself reminded him more of a man. Too prideful and stubborn, not backing down or submitting.

He could see her eyebrow twitch as he delayed his reply, and he had no doubts that she had caught on to him looking her over.

He simply wasn't sure how to start. He had ran off to sulk once the sitting spell wore off back on the cliff after shouting rash curses at her a final time, and once he had cooled down enough to return (three days later), he had received news that she had explained shortly before she returned to the Western Castle, retrieved her cub, and left. When he'd asked them why they hadn't stopped her, they'd all pointed to Sesshoumaru - who, of course, said nothing.

A sneer crossed his features at the memory, but he quickly reeled in his flaring temper and cleared his voice instead. He was on a mission, after all.

" _HE_ demands your presence..." he finally spoke. His voice was gruffer than normal - proving just how tense he was.

"And _HE_ sends you to deliver the message? The world has indeed changed..." she replied sharply and a finely shaped eyebrow rose almost unnoticably.

Kagome shook her head, placing her hands on her hips while letting her gaze fall to the sand in front of her feet. Why would Sesshoumaru summon her now?

Her hair shadowed her features, which Inuyasha didn't much care for - but he made no move towards her. Her response to his message left him pondering how the hell he was supposed to continue... His hackles rose slightly, annoyed that he had been put in this position by his broth...HALF-brother!

"Look, I volunteered, alright? Ya left without even explainin' anythin'!" Inuyasha's sharp bark drew her eyes back to him again.

He'd almost expected wide eyes and guilt, just like the past, but of course it wasn't there now.

He had NOT expected the pain he saw flickering in the depths of her eyes, and it got to him. Kagome's pain always got to him - even now!

"Explain what?" Her voice was but a whisper, but his sensitive ears caught on to the words anyway - of course she knew this...

"Everythin'..." he replied quietly - and she frowned deeply. He sensed her confusion, merged with mild frustration.

"I thought Miroku and Sango explained, and Shippou..."

"Keh, they wouldn't tell me squat! Said I had ta hear it from you!"

"Hn..." The scoff annoyed him - she sounded like a block of ice right then, like a certain prick he knew, and he glared in her direction as she turned her back on him and started walking down the beach - also like a certain prick he knew.

"Oi! Wench, where ya goin'?!" He called, ears flicking slightly with uncertainty - was she not coming? Was she just going to leave him standing there with no answers? Ok, forget HIS answers... What'd he tell Sesshoumaru!?

"He's summoned you!" He shouted, anger rising again as the distance between then grew by every step she took. He grinned when she stopped - ha! She just got served!

"I heard you the first time, Inuyasha. I am fetching Tsuren - and then redressing..." she replied coolly.

"Like hell ya are! He said to get the Shikon Miko! You're gonna have to come with me as yourself! No cub!"

"Ah well...if that is indeed the case; then I'm not going!" Her voice now light, almost cheerful, with a teasing sing-song tone to it.

"You fuckin' swore your allegiance to the Ice Prince! You have ta go!"

"Nooooo..." Her head turned, and the smile she wore on her lips was so wicked it caused his ears to automatically flatten against his skull. How could a once sweet girl grin like that?!

"...It was Kishino Hito who swore his allegiance to the Western Lord. The Shikon Miko has not - thus he cannot summon me and expect me to come running to serve him, unless he needs the aid of the Warrior Priest. So nope, not going..."

Inuyasha sputtered indignantly at her twisted logic, face going redder by the second as his mind went into overdrive trying to come up with a good comeback - then he heard her giggle. His anger deflated instantly, replaced quickly with confusion. Ok, what...? She was sniggering, eyes now glittering with mirth as she glanced back at him over her shoulder. She spun around in the sand and faced him.

"Oh, Kami, Inuyasha - your face sure is priceless! Oh, what I'd GIVE for a camera!"

She then appeared in front of him before he could blink, and she poked her finger into his chest. Her bright smile lit up her fine features, causing his paling face to flush red, again. Even now...

"I will go with you, but only because I am curious, and not until tomorrow - we have to eat before the travel. Besides...right now...you're IT!" She poked him again and darted down the beach - away from him, shouting at the children who had gathered in the near distance, flailing her arms wildly and warning them that the game of tag was on again.

It took a minute or two before Inuyasha managed to collect his thoughts and regain his composure enough to realize what had just taken place. She'd agreed to go - that meant wouldn't get flayed by Sesshoumaru. She would go as herself, or, well...the Shikon Miko - that also meant he wouldn't get flayed by Sesshoumaru.

Aw, man...how'd he ended up as Sesshoumaru's courier in the first place!? He didn't work for the bastard!

... and had she just given him IT?

He growled as he uncrossed his arms and rolled up his sleeves. Oh, game on, wench!

* * *

She found him perched up on a thick branch. There were a few big trees near the beach, and when she couldn't see him after the evening meal she had had no troubles guessing his whereabouts. Plus, his poorly hidden aura kinda revealed his hideout. She KNEW they had to have a chat...about things...they couldn't avoid it forever - so...she'd be the lesser coward and...get the ball rolling.

"Thought I'd find you here..." she exhaled tiredly and sat down by the roots of the tree, leaning her back against the rugged bark.

Silence filled the air - only the faint sounds of the seal youkai preparing for the night could be heard.

She quickly figured he was trying to give her a cold shoulder, being all aloof and ignoring her the best he could. He was in his right to do so.

"I know you are angry with me, Inuyasha..." She tilted her head back to gaze up at his redclad form. He scoffed and refused to look at her - keeping his gaze firmly on the setting sun.

"You killed Kikyou..." his voice finally cut through the air, but there was no hard edge to his voice. Her eyes settled on the grass in front of her.

"Can't kill something that's already dead, Inuyasha..." She replied quickly without regret to her tone. It got her a reaction, at least, and she heard the rustle of leaves as he dropped from the branch above her head followed by the soft thud as he landed on his feet next to her.

She didn't offer him a gaze, knowing fully well that he was trying to stare her down - instead she patted the ground next to her, waiting. When he begrudgingly sat down, arms and legs crossed, at the offered spot in the grass she moved her eyes to him with a small smile on her lips.

He didn't return the smile, of course. His eyes were narrowed, brows furrowed, tense body ready for a fight. Kagome frowned slightly, but still knew he had every right to react as he did towards her. Her eyes returned to the grass.

"I don't think she truly had evil intentions for the Jewel, you know...but none the less, she meant to use it for personal gain..." she explained quietly. He didn't move. She groaned inwardly. How could she say this in a way to make him understand?

"Inuyasha, both you and I know how the Jewel can twist intentions...Had she succeeded in siphoning the memory of it into the present the new Jewel would've been tainted beyond purification, twisted in ways Naraku could never have dreamed of...and she would've been damned all over again and drawn into it's new evil...and we'd all be...well; fucked."

The hanyou didn't move, didn't say anything. His eyes were closed, a frown on his brows, and his lips a thin line. He was tense. He didn't speak, and that was fine - she didn't expect him to. At least she knew he was listening.

"She'd use it to restore her body and her life...to be with you. I know you hate to hear this, but that was selfish of her...she had her chance once...she missed it..."

"The fuck do you know..." he grit out through clenched teeth, clawed hands clenching against his knees. He growled low in his chest, the pain was...remarkably raw...

"The Shikon no Tama can't be stolen by anyone ever again, Inuyasha, this I can promise you with absolute certainty. And the echo of the past won't appear anymore. I can promise you without shadow of a doubt that the Shikon no Tama will never leave my protection. With my soul now complete, I can protect it's powers even better."

"How!?" One short, sharp word. The question in his voice was the one she focused on.

"Hn...how, indeed..." She shrugged her shoulders slightly, exhaling softly after a slow intake of air beforehand.

"The Shikon is no longer a physical item...it's become an essence...an essence which flows through my veins..." she noticed his eyes cracking open slightly and that the golden orbs shifted to lock on her as she explained further. She kept her calm gaze on him.

"It's in my blood, my flesh, my bones, my heart, my soul...it's fused with me completely, and cannot be cut from my body for self-gain..."

"Fuckin' ace - so you mean to say YOU are the Shikon no Tama now?" his voice was both disbelieving and distrustful, like she was a lunatic trying to use common logic.

"Pssssh, no! I'm no jewel at all. I'm...me..." She rolled her eyes before her gaze went back to him.

"And who is that, huh? Kishino or Kagome?"

"Bit of both..." She shrugged, again. Silence fell between them after that, both staring out at the waves beyond the beach.

"She was all I had left of you..." Inuyasha's voice was softer when he spoke again, breaking the almost comfortable silence.

"Of me?!" Kagome blinked slowly, staring at him with big eyes all of a sudden. Had he really just said that!?

"She was all...YOU...had left of ME?!" her back straightened and his ears flattened despite his earlier ire. Uh...he'd put his foot in his mouth again, hadn't he?

"You DO know how many years I spent being all YOU had left of HER, right!? How can you even say something like that!?"

The softness of her voice tweaked the strings to his heart. But underneath the vulnerable words he detected contained rage.

"It's not fair, Inuyasha..." her voice was caught in the breeze.

"It's not fair that you disappeared...had we had more time..." His own hushed voice brushed against the wind, but she shook her head before it came to lightly rest upon his shoulder.

The gesture was so familiar, yet so alien that he almost jumped up and away from her - however he remained unmoving from the spot. The weight against his shoulder made his golden eyes shoot open fully and he stared with genuine shock at the masses of raven black tresses that fell against his red fire rat haori.

"Speaking of time, Kagome...it's been twenty years. Shouldn't you at LEAST have some grey hairs on that head of yours?"

"Nah. Time's not gonna mark me like it does humans..." She sighed, slowly removing her head from his shoulder, but his hand shot up and promptly pushed it back down again. He kept his hand on her head for a few seconds to make his point come across. Don't pull away. Don't leave. And she nodded, the movement so slight he barely felt it.

"You're not youkai..." he murmured as his cheek now pressed lightly against the top of her head. This might be a one-time occurrence, he'd be a fool to waste it.

"Nor am I human, and not hanyou. I simply am, Inuyasha. I look human, but humans don't live forever. I don't look youkai, but my lifespan might match one..." Kagome had obviously thought about her existence many times before.

"Heck, had I known after my first trip here to the Feudal Era that I'd end up being stuck here AND having to deal with eternal life...I don't think I'd ever have returned here...a human mind is not meant to fathom eternity..."

Inuyasha frowned slightly. The girl next to him - because she was most definitely a girl right now, sounded so tired. It almost scared him...She didn't wish for death, did she? The golden eyes glazed over with concern.

Before he could open his mouth to say something her hand gently slapped at his chest.

"No, I don't." She chuckled, and he scoffed. So she still had the ability to know his next words before he, himself, did.

Silence came upon them once again. Past companions, sitting together under a tree by the beach, with the moon slowly rising to cast it's white light across the waves that softly brushed up against the sand. Eerily comfortable.

"I had expected yelling, Inuyasha. Loud yelling, curses, threats to my life, fighting...bloodshed and such, you know?"

"Feh...well...you kinda beat the shit outta me once already...figured you'd be able to again, plus I think I yelled enough back at the cliffs..."

"I hope you don't think I haven't thought about you these past twenty years, Inuyasha...I have missed you greatly, all of you! But after the first five years with the seals, I figured you all thought me either dead or back in the future. The seals caught rumours of Sesshoumaru taking in Shippou - so I knew he was safe and provided for. I knew you had Kikyou - so I fully believed you'd be happy. I knew Sango and Miroku were married - so I knew they were happy..."

"Speaking of the seals, Kagome...if you've lived with them for so long, and you didn't die, why didn't you return?"

Kagome's head moved from his shoulder and Inuyasha turned his head to look at her, she was avoiding his gaze, and he could see that her cheeks were actually blushing a faint shade of red, but she didn't seem embarrassed.

She rubbed the back of her neck with one hand and sighed heavily, then surprised him by chuckling brightly.

"I would've. Believe me, the first MONTHS I tried several times a day to return..."

"What kept you from it? Did they hinder you? Did they restrain you, hold you back? What!?"

"Lung-capacity..."

"Huh...?"

His hands shot to her shoulders, pressing them firmly down before she could fully bring them up in a shrug.

"Lung-capacity, Kagome?" he narrowed his eyes, and felt her shoulders press upwards against his palms, but he kept pressure on his arms and kept her infernal shrugging at bay.

"See...the seal youkai are...their dens are...far beneath the surface, ok? There are endless winding water-tunnels before one finally get to the air-filled caves where they live...it's a maze! I could hold my breath for perhaps thirty seconds, maybe fourty-five seconds if I was lucky, and then I'd be in trouble...the swim through the tunnels is a twenty minute swim, at LEAST..."

She stared at his unblinking eyes until she saw the dawning realisation drop into his head.

"You mean to say you were trapped down there? Hell, Kagome, had I known...!" he sneered viciously, but she snickered and shook her head.

"How COULD you have known? At first I felt trapped, alone, scared...but time passed, and I found a new home and a new family...a new purpose..."

She watched with amusement as his eyes grew distant, then snapped back into focus - she could almost see and hear the figurative cogwheels turn in his brain.

"...how'd you survive the trip INTO those caves?"

"Uh...from what I've been told, one of the seals from the scouting-party...um...breathed FOR me..."

Inuyasha blinked.

"He breathed air into my lungs...? Mouth-to-mouth? It kept me alive long enough to get to the caverns."

A scowl replaced the confused expression on the hanyou's face.

"Did he do right by you after that intimate act, and mating you? How many more have done that to you over the years, then?" His hands quickly released her shoulders, moving to the hilt of Tetsusaiga at his hip, a growl forming in his throat.

"Was it that Yolu-prick? I saw how cozy you two were with eachother!"

"...Kami...Inuyasha, sit!" Kagome glared softly at the face-down inu youkai on the ground in front of her.

The female sighed and got to her feet in one fluid motion, bending down at her hip and lightly patting the back of Inuyasha's head, signalling the end of their conversation.

"Yes, it was Yolu who breathed for me as they brought me into the caves. I'll see you at dawn, Inuyasha. Sleep well!" She chirped mirthfully, but there was a darker undertone of irritation in her voice that his sensitive ears picked up without trouble.

The hanyou stayed under the tree for the remainder of the night. The spell didn't last more than a minute, but by the time he could move again, she was gone. Argh! Why did his feet get into his mouth when things seemed to go smoothly?!

* * *

"I told you, he demanded the Shikon Miko!" Inuyasha barked warningly at the woman approaching him.

He looked her over as she came closer – she was wearing her black flowy trousers with the legs tucked into her black mid-calf leather boots and a plain lavender suikan was wrapped skilfully around her torso. A black obi was tied around her waist with her faithful katana attached. Her bows and arrows were in place as well.

Her long hair was tied up in a high ponytail to keep the long strands out of her face.

Her white haori was tied diagonally across her chest to act like a carrying-cradle for Tsuren. The seal cub was still sleeping - after all, the sun had barely begun to rise. So, wrapped in the safety of the makeshift sling that Kagome's haori provided, he slept soundly on her back.

"Hey, these are the most formal clothes I have!" She replied and shrugged nonchalantly at the hanyou.

"You're wearing your Kishino-armor under, aren't you…" one of the hanyou's ears twitched, he could see the high neckline of the black jumper under her suikan, and the woman's left eyebrow rose slightly in response.

"And…? Is it a problem? To be honest, what I wear under my clothes is none of your business!" she smiled sweetly at him, causing a chill to run down Inuyasha's back. Ok, he knew – now - when to not put his foot in it…

"Keh.." he snorted, and turned, starting to walk.

Kagome rolled her eyes at him then tightened her grip on the longbow in her left hand. She wasn't looking forwards to this.

After the big revelation concerning her true identity three months back she had decided to leave the Western Castle and her old friends after quickly giving them her story. She had had a lot to answer for – but she'd delayed most of it. They had said they understood, but she knew they were hurt that she chose to leave.

She'd sought out her seal family instead in an attempt to build her courage while battling all the emotions she had kept locked away for two decades. Kishino was so much better at not being emotional than Kagome...

Once they all knew that she was Kagome it felt like the hold Kishino had on her personality had slipped, and that scared her. Kishino was who she knew how to be, damnit! She didn't even know if she remembered how to be Kagome anymore. Female Kishino, sure! That was different! She had been doing the switch between male and female Kishino for so long...being Kagome again made her feel...stripped bare. And now she was thrown back into a role as something she'd forgotten how to be...

"Oi, stop laggin' behind, wench!" Inuyasha called over his shoulder, and she pursed her lips with slight irritation as he interrupted her trail of thought, then relaxed and sighed. Ok, now she felt like she knew how to be Kagome.

"Inuyasha…" her voice held an all too familiar warning, which seemed to have more power than the actual spell this time - because Inuyasha promptly fell over on his face. She caught up to his form on the ground and stopped next to him, glancing down and giving him a questioning look.

"Is your balance off, halfbreed?" she hissed mockingly, using a degrading nickname for him like he had for her, and he sneered when he realised she had never said 'sit'.

"Listen, Inuyasha..." she frowned once he was back on his feet, his heated glare resting on her as he brushed the dirt off himself.

"...let's not do the whole name-calling thing, alright? If you want a fight, then tell me to my face instead of trying to coax me into one..." Her head tilted slightly to the left.

"If you can't call me by name, or be polite, then kindly shut up! We have already established that I'm not the same, naïve school-girl from twenty-three years ago...I'm not gonna accept degrading name-calling... And that goes both ways, for both of us, alright?"

He grumbled, before nodding. Yeah, he got that - it just...memories of old came back to him now that she was...HER...again. Well, kind of. And as he agreed, she beamed at him.

"Great! Let's get going!" she whirled around and started walking again.

She reached behind her with her right hand, feeling Tsuren's warm body against her back inside the protective cocoon of her 'haori-sling'. Her blue eyes gazed up at the clear blue sky and let her mind wander as it pleased.

She didn't know exactly how to BE the girl she had been before. Kishino would always be a big part of her and wouldn't just disappear overnight, nor did she want to let that identity disappear either. It meant all too much to her! But...she could be Kagome, too. The upgraded version... 2.0.1 or something...

"Let's run..." she suggested suddenly, summoning her reiki to enhance her speed, and she dashed forwards with her old travelling companion next to her. She couldn't travel fast for long, but they both needed the wind in their face.

Destination; Western Castle.

~~O~~


	12. Returning

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

~~~O~~~

 **A.N.:** _**You know, life...and stuff. Another chapter. I've not got my keyword settled, and somewhat know the plot for the upcoming chapters. Still writing based on whim, as I've reminded you before - so here goes.**_

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWELVE - RETURNING**

* * *

The days had been quiet since Inuyasha had left to 'fetch' the Shikon Miko. Shippou fidgeted slightly as he sat with his mate in one of the many splendid gardens - her love for flowers had never diminished. The fox demon's lap was covered with long-stemmed wild flowers, and the pregnant young woman was quite happily weaving them into beautiful flower-crowns. He already had three decorative flower-crowns around his head, but he didn't mind. These peaceful moments with Rin were deeply cherished.

"You are sure you gave Inuyasha the correct directions to the beach?" Rin murmured softly, finishing a fourth only to place it on top of her mate's head to join the others. She giggled quietly. He was adorable!

"I did. I could've told him to go North, but he'd be a nightmare when he returned and realised I'd tricked him...finding Kagome is important to him, why do you think he volunteered to go? He doesn't even work for Sesshoumaru..."

Shippou sighed, carefully lifting the flower-crowns of his head and instead placing them onto his beloved's head, leaning in and nuzzling her temple. Rin shifted closer to him and he wrapped her in his arms, lowering them both down to lay on the grass, cradling his precious mate to him.

"By the way, has Sesshoumaru told you why he wished to summon Kagome here?" He whispered into her ear, feeling her shake her head in response.

"No, has he told you?" Her breathless whisper replied, and this time he shook his head.

"Hn..." the kitsune crossed his arms and frowned, leaning back. His emerald green eyes focused on the sky above them. It really was a beautiful day! His brief worries were almost whisked away by the sun's gentle and warm light...until he heard Rin giggle.

"...you don't suppose he's called on her because she owes him a debt after all?"

Oh, kami...he hoped not.

* * *

Kagome rubbed the bridge of her nose, brows drawn together in an annoyed frown. Her other hand held Tsuren's in a firm but gentle grip as Inuyasha and a certain Wolf-youkai were going at eachother.

Kouga had appeared not ten minutes ago, stopping them in the middle of the forest road, claiming he'd come to check on his 'woman'. Before Kagome had been given the chance to respond, Inuyasha was flying at the wolf, and the fight was a fact.

"Come, Tsuren. We continue." She glanced down at her son and offered him a smile to reassure him.

"But mama, they are fighting!" The small child whimpered, and Kagome grit her teeth. Yes, yes they were. Claws sliced flesh and clothes, and trees were knocked over by youkai impacting with them. The peaceful area quickly looked as though a gruesome war had raged.

"She ain't your woman, wolf-shit! You have a mate!"

"Ain't yours either, dogbreath! I'm just here to say hello!"

"Coulda just said it and gone on your way, damnit!"

"I have every right to catch up! She was my woman!"

"No she wasn't! Kagome was mine!"

"She never...!"

"Fleabag!"

"Mutt!"

The angry voices faded into the distance as Kagome continued towards her destination. Some things would never change, apparently, and here she had actually thought that twenty years would've matured those two if only a little...Anyway, they'd figure out in a while that she was no longer present to view their little 'male display'.

She leaned down and lifted her adopted son onto her right hip with one arm supporting him while she walked. Tsuren placed his head on her shoulder and enjoyed the silence. Just him and his mother.

The child was startled when Kagome suddenly leapt sideways and spun around on her heel, longbow ready and arrow pulled from it's quiver - many years of practice had molded her movements to work around her velcro-child.

She sneered as she infused the lethal projectile with her reiki. She had not sensed the youkai before he was literally brushing against her side! That meant...

"Still your weapon and reiki, woman, This Sesshoumaru desires no fight this day." There was a warning tone to his otherwise monotone voice, and Kagome would be a fool to not heed it.

"Forgive me, Sesshoumaru-sama - instincts are hard to reign in sometimes..." She hissed and quickly slid the arrow back into its place and lowered her longbow, for now.

"Humans do not possess instincts that strong."

"Hey, we do to! ...and I am not human...anymore. And believe me, I have instincts!"

His cold golden gaze rested on her for a brief moment before he walked on ahead.

"This One shall accompany you the rest of the way..."

Kagome watched the back of the Youkai Lord in something akin to shock. Ok, what? Hey, since when did she need to be accompanied anywhere?! She had travelled JUST FINE on her own for more than a decade!

Tsuren shifted from her hip, skillfully manoeuvring himself onto her back, sliding in between her quiver of long arrows and her back, arms and legs finding their normal place around her waist and neck. He'd done this swap in position a thousand times before, so neither seemed to be bothered or hindered by this.

"Miko."

Kagome involuntarily shuddered. It had been way, WAY too long since she had been addressed by such a title - and it felt one hundred ways of wrong! Her displeased glance travelled to the stoic Inu Youkai. Only he would use her title like that and make it sound more like a personal insult than an acknowledgement of status.

She hurried her steps and caught up to the male, settling in next to him, adapting to the pace he kept. She would not fall in behind him, she was not going to automatically assume him as her superior.

"Sesshoumaru-sama..." Kagome replied then, with the same tone he had used towards herself.

Golden eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but she lifted her chin stubbornly.

Yes, if he could - so could she, her eyes told him.

And he did not find her defiance amusing, not one bit, his eyes told her in turn.

She also felt it in his suffocating aura as it worked to push her own into silent submission, but she fought it. Damn that youkai possessed more power than could possibly be healthy!

"You travel alone?" He more stated than asked as he glanced behind her at the empty road.

"I do not, my Lord. I have my ward with me." She replied stoically.

She knew that it was not what he meant - she inwardly sighed before she inclined her head towards the Lord. She was stubborn and strongwilled, but not stupid. Provoking Sesshoumaru could mean her own and her cub's death - and she did not have time to die! She had sworn to the Kamis that she would see her family in the Future again - that meant she had to stay alive for the amount of time that would take. But that didn't mean she wouldn't defy him where she saw fit to do just that.

However, she would remember her manners...and she knew she had to find a balance regarding her communication with the Western Lord. So, giving it a second go, she opened her mouth again to speak;

"You refer to the one you sent to fetch me, my Lord? I am afraid he...got caught up in something a while back. I fully believe he will catch up to me in a while."

Sesshoumaru watched the untraditionally clothed Miko as she talked to him. She was still nowhere near submissive to his power or presence, but at least her words had changed to become more respectful. Clever woman, she knew how to keep her head attached to her shoulders.

"You still have things to explain, Miko. Your sudden leave was cowardly and disrespectful to not only This One, but your past companions."

His deadly glare silenced any sharp comeback she may have, and she clenched her teeth as the words froze in her mouth. She HAD had her reasons! Her own bloody reasons to leave the Castle three months ago! She opened her mouth to speak regardless of the Youkai Lord's warning, but Tsuren whimpered on her back and she gagged slightly as his arms tightened around her throat. Child he might be, but he was still youkai with the added strength that came with it.

Her irritation deflated slightly, and she refrained from further conversation with the Inu Youkai. Tsuren was uncomfortable with the rise in both of their auras she realised, and carefully placed her right hand on the small arms around her neck, giving them a comforting squeeze.

"Did Sango and Miroku return to Edo?" She asked quietly, keeping her eyes on the Castle in the distance.

"The Monk and the Slayer still reside within the Castle - they vowed to stay until you returned."

Huh...he allowed humans to stay in his home. No, just not any humans... She scoffed while the smallest of smiles ghosted across her lips. Sesshoumaru respected them. She guessed that was a comforting thought.

"This Sesshoumaru also has need of your aid in a Meeting of Lords..."

Oh. That couldn't be good.

* * *

The Castle gates opened for them, and Kagome inhaled deeply as she walked alongside the stoic youkai.

Sesshoumaro called for one of the nearby guards, and the inu youkai hurried to his Lord's side.

"Show the Miko to the room that has been prepared for her, and provide them with food."

The inu youkai bowed deeply before he turned to Kagome and Tsuren, gesturing with his hand towards the grand doors of the Castle. The female's eyes took in his appearance, his hair was a pale golden hue, shoulder length and kept back in a low ponytail. His eyes were deep pools of golden brown. Golden Retriever, she thought instantly, fighting to hold back the smile as she tried not to imagine his dog-form.

Kagome inclined her head respectfully towards the guard, offering no words to his silence, and let him lead herself and her youkai child inside. The guard remained quiet, which she found odd. No words.

After a few minutes she tried asking him light questions, but she only received nods and shakes of his head as response. After a while she stopped trying to strike a conversation. She kept quiet for the rest of the time it took to arrive at the designated room. He lead her through long hallways and up winding stairs. She noticed it was many floors up from the room she had previously occupied. So, no more jumping out windows for dramatic effects...got it.

"Thank you." She glanced at the guard, who nodded quickly at her, and she closed the door behind her after entering the room. Prodding with her senses, she quickly caught on to the guard remaining at her door. So, no free roaming of the Castle...got that, too.

Tsuren looked around the spacious room and the first thing he did when she placed him down on the floor was to run to the large, thick, and luxurious futon. Kagome grinned and shrugged off her haori, folding it neatly and placing it on top of the desk next to the futon. She placed her long bow carefully up against the wall along with the quiver of arrows, within reach of the futon. She then unstrapped the short bow from her thigh along with the smaller quiver of short arrows and set those atop of her folded haori.

When her hand touched the hilt of her katana she hesitated, then slowly pulled it from her obi and weighed it in her hand. She'd keep her katana on her person at all times, she decided. Just to be on the safe side. She was in a castle full of strong youkai, after all.

While Tsuren acquainted himself with the futon, she sat down by the table in the middle of the room, legs crossed, katana resting across her thighs. So, she had questions to answer...hn.

It didn't take very long before familiar presences brushed against her aura, and Kagome soundlessly shifted onto her feet. With long strides she made it to the door and slid it open before the ones outside got around to knock.

Stormy blue eyes took in the faces of the two humans, then she stepped aside without a word and gestured for them to enter. They did so, tentatively, unsure of what to say. And just as Kagome was about to shut the door, another person slid inside, then another.

"Um...hello?" Kagome didn't know whether to frown, blink, faint, cry, laugh, hug them all, or tell them to leave.

Sango shifted before finally reaching out and pulling the younger female into a tight embrace, her arms wrapping around Kagome's torso tightly. Kagome's eyes widened at the initiated hug, she froze; suddenly uncertain how to react to the sign of affection from the woman she had once thought of as her sister.

"You scared us, Kagome! Don't ever leave like that again! We had JUST gotten you back!" The Slayer's voice was scolding - but Kagome sensed her fear, her pain.

Kagome kickstarted herself, her arms wrapped around Sango's shoulders. She was now taller than the other woman, it felt odd, but she didn't care! Hugging. She needed hugging!

"I'm so sorry, Sango..." She whispered into the chocolate brown, silver streaked hair.

"The reality of it all just suffocated me..."

Miroku's arms then encircled both herself and Sango, and his head came to rest on top of his wife's. The extra squeeze he offered wasn't at all perverted. It was almost sad how fatherly it felt...

"Ok, guys...Sango...Sango, I need to breathe..." Kagome cleared her voice after a few minutes and pulled from the embrace but she placed her hands on Sango and Miroku's shoulders, offering them a small smile of appreciation before she was pushed several feet back by the ferocity of the hug the third person offered.

"Rin..." she breathed, grimacing as she heard the muffled sob against her shoulder. The pregnant woman held Kagome in a death-grip, crying into the garment of her suikan.

"She didn't get to hug you three months ago..." Shippou explained quietly, and a huge wave of guilt crashed over Kagome full force. Oh...now she felt utterly, completely and totally awful!

"Why don't we...um...sit down?" Kagome offered, gesturing to the cushions around the table. Rin refused to release her, so Kagome walked her over to the seating area then carefully took a seat - only to have Rin almost climb into her lap. She managed to place Rin next to her on the seating cushion, however, and brought one arm around her shoulders.

"Rin...Rin, I'm sorry I left so quickly. I'm here now, ok?" She murmured, rocking the pregnant female gently, but Rin shook her head and refused to let go.

"She's pregnant, overly emotionall and she's got her mother-figure back from the dead. She's going to be living ontop of you from now..." Shippou grinned mischievously, his mission accomplished as one of Rin's arms snatched free from kagome only to latch onto his ear.

"I'm not overly emotional!" Rin hiccuped through her tears, and glared at her mate - though without malice.

Kagome managed a small chuckle as Shippou whined about his ear being sensitive, raising her hands and gently cupping the younger woman's face while letting her thumbs wipe the tears from her cheeks.

"I'm sorry." She repeated, more solemnly, and Rin caught her hitching breath, sniffling a final time before she drew a shaky breath and nodded slowly. They had a lot to talk about.

* * *

The next few days went by quite uneventfully. She spent time with her old companions, reacquainted herself with their presences and rekindled the friendship they had once shared. She got to spoil Rin with attention and watch how the younger woman cooed over Tsuren. She would make a great mother!

Inuyasha had come back to the Castle an hour or so after Kagome and Tsuren, out of breath, with cuts and bruises covering his face, tears in his clothes. He looked a right mess. He had been, of course, very upset that Kagome had just walked off like that and had, unfortunately, showed off his foul language in front of Tsuren - but they had quickly settled that issue by Kagome giving him a good old s-i-t. He'd been sulking for the rest of that day, but eventually came to apologise, which Kagome appreciated immensely.

Sure, there were still many obstacles to be dealt with in regards of complete trust between herself and the old inu-tachi, but...one day at a time...

Tsuren had fallen in love with Sango and Miroku, there was no other way to explain it - he idolized the ageing humans and could hardly leave them alone. Sango absolutely adored the little seal youkai, and had no issues with looking after him while Kagome went outside after lunch to meditate and practice her skills.

The fourth day, however, Kagome found herself wanting to leave by the fastest means possible...

She grimaced, looking down herself. The youkai servant had somehow managed to wrap her in a shimmering pastel pink and silver, five-layered kimono with white rose-petal patterns shimmering down the sleeves. A glittering white obi was tied tightly around her narrow waist and fastened in a feminine bow behind her back. If she hadn't known better she would've sworn they were aiming to have her impersonate the Shikon itself! She couldn't move in this thing!

"Yusiki, I can't wear this!" She snapped as she pulled the long sleeves up to her elbows for the tenth time in five minutes. The female servant scoffed and patiently pulled the sleeves back down, much to Kagome's dismay, finishing donning and dressing the woman she had been put in charge of. Her long black hair was being pulled and tugged up into an intricate bun - she winced every time the bejeweled hairpins grazed her scalp.

"It is fitting for one of you stature, My Lady! Please stop trying to wrinkle the silk!" Yusiki scolded gently, admiring her work. Kagome looked like a princess!

"There was nothing wrong with how I dressed before!"

"My Lady, as the Shikon Miko and guest of Sesshoumaru-sama, it is expected of you to dress like a proper Lady!"

"But I'm NOT a LADY!" The volume of Kagome's voice finally rose to match her temper. She was glad Tsuren was with Sango and Miroku at this moment, she'd hate for him to hear the well chosen curses she had plans of voicing pretty soon!

"You know what, forget this! I'm not a doll, for fuck's sake! I'm not a princess! And I'm sure as Hell aren't any head-bowing, simpering, asskissing bi..."

"Your shrieking disturbs the sensitive ears of the entire Castle, Miko." Sesshoumaru had appeared in the doorway of her room.

The servant instantly bowed her head deeply, and when Kagome didn't automatically do the same she discretely tugged at the human woman's sleeve to hint for her to bow too. A futile attempt, let that be said.

"Yeah? Well come closer and I'll disturb YOUR sensitive hearing exclusively! How DARE you force me into these garments?!" Kagome seethed, throwing her arms out to the sides while offering the Taiyoukai a challenging glare.

"Miko, you better not test This Sesshoumaru! You will dress in what is provided to you!" his ice cold tone held an undertone of a warning growl, and that's when Kagome knew she had to make a stand.

"I suggest YOU watch your tone with ME! You are not the boss of me, Sesshoumaru-sama!" She added a growl to her own voice, not fazed the slightest with the way his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Oh, no! That's no gonna work on me, you ice cold prick! I did NOT come here to be dressed up or dolled up to represent a pliant mindless human princess of sorts, nor am I here to sit quietly and simply bow my head to you or any other royal ass!"

Her eyes flashed upon noticing that the Lord of the West had placed his hand on the hilt of Bakusaiga. There was a faint trace of red around the edges of his eyes. She was testing his patience. Well, GOOD!

A wicked grin spread across her face as she shifted her right hand to her left hip, allowing her own slender fingers to grip the handle of her own katana. Would he fight her?

Before either of them could act on the underlying challenge between them, the servant whimpered - and Kagome sighed heavily. Her shoulders untensed. She wouldn't start a fight when there was a possibility that innocents might get hurt. Didn't matter if they were youkai, human or hanyou.

...and it wasn't like she could fight in this blasted, restrictive kimono either!

"I agreed to come here, Sesshoumaru-sama, because you requested my presence. I'm staying here on my own terms, not yours. I can leave if I so please. Lord you might be, but you have no jurisdiction over how I choose to dress myself..."

There was a heavy silence, before Sesshoumaru finally turned and left the room without a word, allowing a wild and unrestrained victory dance to go off in the back of Kagome's mind. Her body, however, remained frozen. He'd listened, without killing her.

"The world has changed too much in twenty years..." she mused to herself, then glanced down to the still bowing servant.

"He's gone now, stand up." She demanded softly, and smiled when the female did so.

"How can you speak to the Lord like that and live?" Yusiki asked carefully, causing Kagome to chuckle brightly.

"Perhaps I amuse him?" She suggested, before she set out to untie the obi around her waist.

"But...My Lady!" Yusiki protested, but silenced herself abruptly when Kagome's cold blue gaze landed on her. A shiver ran down the youkai's spine. The Lord was no longer the only one who could freeze blood with a simple gaze.

"The meeting starts soon, My Lady...please don't be late..."

* * *

Finally undressed and with the beautiful kimono placed back to be kept for later, Kagome heaved a breath of relief. Yusiki had been dismissed for now. She didn't need more help dressing herself. She walked over to her travel-satchel, pulling out what she deemed to be fitting clothes for herself.

The hairpins were pulled from her hair and she quickly tamed the cascading locks in a loose plat that she left hanging over one shoulder.

She glanced down at the clothes, then shrugged to herself. She didn't particularly enjoy wearing miko-garbs, but...perhaps every once in a while it was necessary. At least it told of her status. She quickly dressed, tightening the dark blue hakama around her slender waist before positioning her katana at her hip. Bringing the bow might bring more aggravation, and wouldn't do her much good indoors anyway.

"Kagome?" She looked up to see Sango and Shippou stand in the doorway with Tsuren between them.

"Come on in, I don't bite..." The ravenhaired woman smiled brightly, leaning down to catch her son in her arms as he ran to her. She rested him on her hip while nuzzling him affectionately, then returned her gaze to her two friends.

"Gossip tells of some...verbal exchange between you and Sesshoumaru..." Shippou grinned mischievously, his emerald irises glittering with mirth. Kagome huffed and rolled her eyes.

"Verbal exchange. That's one way of putting it..."

"Kagome...you know he did not provide you with that kimono to insult you, right?" Sango asked, smiling as she walked up to the younger woman. She feared for her heart's sister, still. She had a spirit in her that would get her into much trouble...but then again, that's what made Kagome who she was.

"I'm aware of this, Sango...I'm not here to fight anyone, least of all him...but I will not be told how to dress anymore..." She kissed Tsuren's brow and heard him purr contently in her arms.

"Hey, Sesshoumaru could need someone who doesn't bow to him around here..." Shippou sniggered, and Kagome shrugged with a small smile on her lips, passing Tsuren to Sango.

"Can you look after him for a few more hours? I'm needed to make an appearance in a meeting, apparently, it's the reason why I was summoned..."

Sango made big eyes at her friend. She hadn't heard about a meeting! She glanced to Shippou, who nodded to confirm what Kagome said.

"Of course, Kagome! Come see us after, ne? We'll make dinner!"

"Sounds lovely, Sango!"

Kagome hooked her arm with Shippou and let Sango and Tsuren out of the room before them.

"You'll do just fine..." the kitsune reassured her, and she briefly leaned her head against his arm to let him know she appreciated it.

* * *

The grand meeting-room was packed with the strongest Youkai in Feudal Japan. Lord Mousen of the North and two of his Generals, Lord Yamato of the South and his General, Lord Suiko of the East with two Generals and one officer, and Lord Sesshoumaru of the West with his Heir. She was seated next to Shippou.

"Who else has such lethal poison but the Western Lord!?"

"We all are aware of The Western Lord's abilities, and with his history..."

"Watch your words, Mousen-sama!" Shippou bit out in a growl, intent on protecting his Lord's honour - as was his duty as his Heir. However, Sesshoumaru raised his hand and gestured for the other Lords to continue. He was getting bored.

"This Sesshoumaru can assure you all that This One has not done such a degrading deed towards fellow youkai. This Sesshoumaru has honour!"

Kagome had been invited to attend the meeting, but she now suspected that it was not for advice, more because she was the Shikon Miko - and to consequently refuse the possibility of receiving advice by the most powerful Miko of the ages would be dishonourable. Especially when the matter at hand was of such a serious note as this.

There had been an increase of Youkai Nobles falling ill and dying from poison over the past four years. The poison and the one responsible for the poisoning had never been identified, so naturally most eyes would fall to the most poisonous and feared youkai of the land. The Killing Perfection. The Aristocrat Assassin.

She had kept silent, listening and observing as the meeting progressed. She found little to no understanding as to why thy would single out Sesshoumaru and bring their accusations to him. During her travels she had caught rumours regarding youkai deaths - at the time she'd only found it curious, but never dug deeper into it.

"How can you claim you have no part in these deaths, Sesshoumaru-sama?! None are more powerful than you!" Lord Yamato of the South growled, glaring at the cold Taiyoukai of the West.

The Western Lord was calm and cold as ever. Not impressed by the other Lords at all. Shippou was seated on his right side - but the kitsune made no point of trying to hide his rising ire. Kagome could see the sneer on her son's lips, and knew he was itching to draw his sword.

Now, while Sesshoumaru might not find the accusations worthy of further answers, believing them all to be fools in their own ways, Kagome took the opportunity to speak.

"Naraku's miasma was poisonous – though it was mostly dispersed as gas or smoke in the air it took a while for it to work, but imagine if it was liquefied – it'd be deadly in small drops…Many of his insects were poisonous. Let's not forget that many reptile youkai are poisonous, and so are many amphibians."

The agitated Lords and their Generals stared at her. Her eyebrow twitched slightly. So they hadn't REALLY expected her to speak, huh? Well...she continued;

"There are also plants that are poisonous, so perhaps elemental or plant youkai hold such an ability too? Has that been taken into consideration?"

She rose from her position, brushing imaginary dust off her dark blue hakamas.

"My Lords, Honourable Generals..." She inclined her head slightly before she moved with swift grace to stand behind the offended Lord of the West and showed no fear in their presence as she placed her hands on the tense Inu Youkai's shoulders.

"Be not so quick to place blame, without hard proof you shame yourself with your accusations. I shall send an acquaintance of mine to see the victims. He knows how to identify different poisons and their origins, thus he will know how to cure those inflicted by it, AND he might be able to tell what creature has caused the death of your people…"

She stared them down, before she removed her hands from Sesshoumaru, sliding to his side before she bowed her head deeply in a show of respect, then left the room. Shippou couldn't help the wicked grin spreading across his face as the Lords and Generals stared in disgruntled shock at the retreating woman. Then a storm of voices, each trying to be louder than the other, filled the room. How dared she speak openly like that? How dared she interfere with men's discussions? Why did she think she could get away with touching Sesshoumaru like that? She should be cut down! Not all were impressed with the outspoken woman.

"ENOUGH!" Sesshoumaru finally bit out, and everyone quieted.

"This Sesshoumaru has permitted this meeting simply because this is a serious matter. This One had full knowledge of how you would try to place the blame where it does not belong...The Shikon Miko has spoken wisely, and brought up very valid points. Has any of you any hard facts?" He rose from his seat, merely giving them a cold, bored stare.

"The poison looked green..." One General from the East pointed out.

"That...is something you do not know for sure!" Shippou countered calmly, crossing his arms while his emerald green eyes glared daggers at the General.

"None of you have seen the poison nor seen the one responsible, this you have all confirmed at the start of this meeting. The green is simply puss from the infected wounds. Allow my mother, the Shikon Miko, to call upon someone to investigate. This Shippou is certain we will have answers soon!"

* * *

He sought her out later that day.

"Miko." He greeted coolly, stopping a few feet away from her.

"Youkai…" she responded with a sigh.

She heard him growl, but paid him no heed. She was seated under a large tree in the shadowed corners of one of the many gardens, enjoying the silence. He had effectively ruined the small fragment of peace.

"This Sesshoumaru should have you severely punished for putting your hands on his person…"

"Hn." She closed her eyes and seemed to ignore him.

He frowned slightly at her disrespectful response. He was not used to being ignored.

"Take it as a sign of trust between allies instead of an insult…" she murmured quietly.

"We are not allies, Miko!"

"Hah! That is strange, because you summoned me here, you haven't cut my head off, you invite me to attend a meeting with angry Lords knowing fully well that I'd step up to defend you. We were allies when we destroyed Naraku. You raised my kit. You made my kit your Heir. We are allies, Sesshoumaru – whether your stubborn canine ass likes it or not!"

Kagome pushed herself to her feet, and stood in front of Sesshoumaru, arching an eyebrow high as the deadly glint in his eyes spoke numbers of how much he wished to cut her down for daring to speak like that to him. He could try!

"I have eternity, Sesshoumaru-sama. So do you. I will not cushion my behaviour around you, so get used to it!"

The Youkai Lord had kept remarkably silent, just glaring at her while she spoke. She figured he was imagining all the ways he could dispose of her.

She exhaled softly, then smiled. The smile seemed to catch him off-guard. He had not expected it.

"I imagined it could be refreshening…" Her smile transformed into a wicked grin, and he simply stared at her - blinking slowly.

"Everyone else cowers and chooses their words carefully around you. I'll never do that. If you find aristocratic conversations boring – then you know where to find me!" She sniggered and left him under the tree, heading further down into the garden to fetch her cub and join Sango and Miroku for dinner.

Sesshoumaru grit his teeth and forced his beast back into its cage deep within his mind. She took liberties with her words and actions as before! The Miko was as infuriating as always, more so now than before - and it bothered him to no end that she had made a very valid point. The few, short, conversations he had had with her were always interesting. She didn't bow in submission to him, but yet she showed him respect...sometimes. She challenged him and others of higher authority than herself. That trait certainly hadn't weakened over the years.

He followed her, and soon caught up to her. He still had a few more questions!

"This One has meant to ask, Miko - why you do not wear the red hakamas..."

"I like blue more."

"Would you have worn a blue kimono if so provided for you?"

"Nope!"

Sesshoumaru growled under his breath, but remained otherwise stoic and composed. Out of all impossible, frustrating, maddening humans...

"I am not a normal Miko, Sesshoumaru-sama..." she continued, calm. Her facial expression was almost serene, but his trained sharp eyes caught the small flicker of sadness in her deep blue irises.

"I will not wear red, it's a decision made from both personal reasons and practical reasons. Traditional Mikos wear red. I am a far cry from traditional, wouldn't you say? Besides...red stands out in the wild...I prefer anonymity..."

Well, he got his answer. He chewed on that piece of information for a split second, before his final question came to the surface.

"Who will you send to see the victims, Miko?"

She stopped, and so did he. She looked up at him, and there was now a cheeky glint in those strangely blue eyes of hers. Sesshoumaru inwardly sighed. He knew who.

"I'm sending Kishino Hito."

~~~O~~~


	13. Travelling again

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

~~~O~~~

* * *

 **CHAPTER THIRTEEN - TRAVELLING AGAIN**

* * *

Evening. Again. The day had seemed to pass as quickly as the snap of a whip. Kagome was seated in her room with Inuyasha, Sango, Mikoru, Shippou and Rin - they were enjoying a light evening meal together. She had yet to reveal to them that's she would leave the Castle again very soon...right now she just wanted to enjoy their company.

She put some rice in her mouth, chewing slowly while listening absently to Sango and Miroku as they talked about their grandchildren, their eyes bright and pride burned deeply within their souls. Kagome could see this, their auras were beautiful. Though saddened by the thought of them aging further and eventually dieing, she was also very happy for them; she understood and respected that they were content, despite the past hardships, their life was good. They had children, healthy strong children - and they got to see their grandchildren!

 _Snap out of it, Kagome. They're only in their fourties!_

She scolded herself mentally, inwardly cringing as she wanted to convince herself that their number of years wasn't THAT much...but fourty years in the Feudal Era was not the same as fourty years in her birth-era... She sighed deeply, then blinked as fingers were snapped in front of her face by a very amused fox youkai.

"Mama, you're completely zoned out..." he commented softly, and Kagome blinked again.

"I was, wasn't I?" She grinned sheepishly, a genuinely embarrassed blush staining her cheeks as she looked to Miroku and Sango, her stormy blue eyes apologetic. Sango fought hard to hide her amused smile, but failed as Kagome spoke;

"I'm sorry, guys - my thoughts wander off by their own whim, you know what I'm like sometimes, I totally just...lose track of...um...what were you saying?" The shrug of her shoulder was minimal while the blush still lingered on her face.

Miroku's eyes softened, chuckling softly to himself. It was actually very nice to see that there were still traces of the old Kagome in her. He shifted Tsuren slightly in his lap so he, himself, could reach for some of the food. The seal-cub was nomming away on a sweet bisquit of sort, very pleased.

"I was wondering how old Tsuren is..." Sango tilted her head slightly, gently elbowing Inuyasha's ribs as the hanyou snorted a chuckle when Kagome's face blanked.

"Oh...um..." Kagome let her gaze wander to her little seal-child, her eyes glazed over as she thought back, backtracking the years so to speak.

"He was not born yet when I first came to live with the seals...I guess...he is somewhere between fifteen and seventeen human years - but appearance-wise and mentally equivalent of a four, maybe five-year-old...He was still very small when I decided to travel across the land, which we've been doing for ten years..."

Her motherly gaze rested on Tsuren and she leaned forwards, stroking his cheek affectionately with the back of her hand. His big brown, soulfull eyes stared at her, then he smiled and shifted himself out of Miroku's lap and leapt into Kagome's, nuzzling into her and offering her his bisquit. She shook her head at him and he continued nibbling on it.

"So, Kagome, I take it you have unlocked the full potential of your powers, hm?" The monk stated more than asked before busying his mouth with the food. Kagome shrugged with a small smile on her lips.

"Yeah, Kagome - that display with Sesshoumaru when you were introduced to him as Kishino was quite impressive! No one has ever stood a chance against that poison whip!" Sango chirped in, eyes sparkling.

"Oh, um...well I've learned how to manipulate it and manifest it in its various ways - my imagination is the limit, i guess..." Kagome frowned.

"What can you do?" Shippou asked, interested to learn of her powers.

"Well...I can use my powers to heal, human and youkai alike..."

"That is quite a feat, Kagome. Not all mikos have that much control of their reiki so they can heal youkai without purifying them." Miroku stared in wonder. Kagome shrugged. Shippou and Rin exchanged looks - they were counting the shrugs again. Three.

"Obviously I can purify youkai, but it's advanced to other creatures as well...I once purified a human, a man whose soul was so black, so evil that there was no hope of cleansing it through other means. It was not a very good day for me...I don't purify just for the sake of it. I don't like to take lives unless I absolutely have to..."

They all nodded, and Inuyasha thought back on the past. There was a lot of Kagome-logic laced in that explanation, and he could understand how purifying a human would be hard on her.

"My barriers are strong and potent, I've not yet met any creature or object that can penetrate my defensive ones..."

"Serves you well in your battles, ne, Kagome?" Rin smiled softly, continuing; "You can place Tsuren within a barrier and not have to worry about him being in danger if you have to focus on fighting."

Kagome couldn't help the smile that broke through her frown. She began to hoist her shoulders up, but quickly caught the expectant gaze both Shippou and Rin gave her and so she slowly eased her shoulders down again.

"There is that. And anyone else I choose to protect, at the most I've had ten barriers up at the same time. I've not had need to surpass that. I can call forth my reiki and imbue my weapons with my power, I can call it to the surface of my skin to withstand and protect my body from lethal attacks like Sesshoumaru-sama's poison whip..."

"Oi how come you keep referring to the ice prick with such honourifics?!" Inuyasha butted in, and the miko stared at him with an expressionless face.

"He's earned it my respect." She muttered, and he blushed.

"What else can you do, mama?" Shippou prodded gently, ignoring his hanyou friend for now.

"I can draw on my reiki to boost speed and agility, even strength - but I never do this unless necessary - it is by far the most draining feat...if I'm not careful, I will faint from exhaustion."

"I was very impressed that Sesshoumaru's poison didn't do anything to you. You even purified it with a flick of a finger!" Sango tilted her head, watching the younger woman carefully. Kagome shrugged. Four.

"Poisons are...easy for me to deal with...leave it at that..." she frowned and chewed on her bottom lip.

* * *

Half an hour later, her head was spinning, and she raised her hand to silence the next question.

"Guys, please..." her voice held a chuckle, but her eyes were serious. She sensed unease.

"Rin, are you alright?" She questioned, seeing the younger pregnant woman looking uncomfortable.

Once the attention was on her, Rin blushed and waved her hand at them all in a reassuring manner.

"The baby is just moving..." she explained, sighing as Shippou carefully lifted her into his lap and cradled her to him protectively with one hand gently rubbing the domed belly to soothe both his mate and the unborn.

Kagome smiled at the image they portrayed, then cradled the soft bundle in her own lap, kissing the top of Tsuren's head.

"Why haven't you found a mate yet?" Sango asked, smirking as everyone's eyes seemed to narrow at that subject.

"She's been livin' as a MAN for ten years, Sango! How'd she attract a mate like that?" Inuyasha huffed, crossing his arms across his chest.

Shippou sneered slightly at the thought of someone he hadn't approved of becoming Kagome's mate, but knowing she hadn't mated anyone yet relaxed him slightly. As her oldest son, he felt he should have the honour of accepting his mother's mate before a mating took place! Humph!

"Me living as Kishino has nothing to do with it, Inuyasha." Kagome's pointed answer made the hanyou's ears flick back slightly.

"It's not that I've not wanted to find someone to share my life with, eiher..." she left a pause, her eyes on the ceiling.

"...oi, what's that's supposed to mean?!" Inuyasha drawled on, his eyebrow twitching.

"Mama doesn't want to mate someone who only wants her!" Tsuren chirped, silencing the following questions. Kagome could sense the confusion in their auras. Hadn't she always said she wanted to be wanted for herself and not because they saw her as someone else?

"They must also want me!" The seal beamed brightly, clearing that up, and the miko scoffed softly with a smile playing across her features as realization replaced the confusion in their auras. Her fingers combed through the plush soft hair on her cub's head. Yes, any potential mate out there would have to accept Tsuren too.

"There's got to be plenty of males wanting to take on Tsuren as well as you, Kagome...?" Rin questioned gently, and Kagome shook her head.

"You'd be surprised to learn that very few want the package-deal, Rin..." Kagome frowned deeply this time, her eyes dropping from the ceiling to land on the little boy in her arms.

"I'm not really looking, you know...sure I don't wish to spend eternity alone, but...I'm not actvely looking for someone..." She shrugged. Five.

Her blue gaze landed on her friends, and she offered them a big happy smile.

"That's why I made a pact with Yolu..."

"The clan-leader?" Shippou blinked.

"The big buff guy?" Inuyasha snapped with a disapproving scowl on his face.

Kagome nodded.

"If neither of us has found a suitable mate in another ten years, we'll accept eachother."

"Kagome, that's..." Shippou started, grinning, but then...

"Out of the question!" the hard dismissal of the very idea vibrated through the air in the form of a deep growl.

Inuyasha, who else?

* * *

Three days later.

Kagome secured the short bow on her right thigh along with the belonging arrows. Her katana at her left hip, her long bow accross her shoulders and the arrows in their quiver on her back. She was Kishino again. Her black turtleneck jumper did little to hide her lean, now flat torso - the bindings and enhanced leather armour underneath the fabric did its job in hiding the two things that visibly defined her gender the most. Black hakamas covered her long legs and were tucked into black mid-calf leather boots with soft soles. A silver obi around her waist broke up all the black.

She felt more like herself now.

She put her white haori over her shoulders and held out her hand to Tsuren - hoisting him up onto her right hip.

"Ready?" she asked him in a very hushed voice, looking at the door to their room. She knew Inuyasha was guarding it, determined not to let her go on this quest - thinking it was too dangerous, and meaning to take up his role as her protector.

It had been one hell of a ruckus when she'd told them she'd be leaving to go on a quest to find out who killed the Youkai Nobles across the land. Inuyasha had yelled, Sango and Miroku had tried to convince her not to go, and poor Shippou hadn't known who he should side with.

It had ended up with Inuyasha guarding the door to her room, so she couldn't leave.

Kagome would have no one tell her what she could do and what she couldn't do, so she walked to the window in her room, leaning out slightly to look at the ground which was approximately five stories down.

"Up we go..." she whispered into Tsuren's little ear, climbing up into the windowsill. The child shuddered with anticipation, but he was not afraid. He trusted his guardian, his mother, his protector. He trusted Kagome, he trusted Kishino-sama.

Kagome exhaled, and jumped. Several layers of different barriers sprung out from within her during the free-fall - the first one shattered upon impact with the ground, giving way for the next - which also shattered, then the next, then the next. By the time the eighth barrier touched the ground, Kagome safely tread onto the grass without damage, having landed gracefully thanks to each barrier softening the impact greatly. All this within a few seconds

She quickly cloaked her own and Tsuren's aura and scent then ran to the walls surrounding the Castle, the darkness of the night helped hiding her further. With a powerful thrust of reiki into her legs, she leapt at the wall, scaling it without much trouble until she and Tsuren were safely on the other side. They grinned at eachother, then disappeared into the forest. Behind them, a few minutes later, they could faintly hear the hanyou yelling as he noticed she was gone.

"He was always like that.." Kagome told Tsuren, and they fell into a comfortable silence. Both used to travel at night, both used to being silent as not to disturb their surroundings. The silence heightened their awareness as well, allowing them to hear if someone was approaching.

* * *

Night bled into dawn. Tsuren was wrapped in the makeshift sling that was the white haori, nestled securely against her back. Kagome slowly came to a halt in her tracks and glanced over her shoulder, something was not quite as it should - the birds should've started chirping by now. Something was making them quiet. Sometimes it was the things you didn't hear that was the cause of alarm. However, she didn't need to flare her aura to know who it was, she needed only turn her head back - and her eyes fell on the Taiyoukai on the path right in front of her.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" She adopted the deeper, slightly gruffer voice of Kishino. Hey, an act was an act - and it was such a huge part of her she couldn't help it.

"Did Inuyasha's yelling disturb you, my Lord?" Kagome tilted her head, watching Sesshoumaru intently.

"The halfbreed has quite a set of lungs, not to mention a very irritating voice - and Inu Youkai have sensitive ears. to say it 'disturbed' This One is an understatement."

"No 'hn'?" Kagome feigned surprised shock at his 'detailed' answer to her question. She hadn't expected that. The Youkai Lord only deigned to answer her with a cold, unimpressed stare.

"What brings you here this early morning then, Sesshoumaru-sama?" The currently disguised Shikon Miko tilted her head, eyes shining with unguarded curiosity.

"This Sesshoumaru will accompany you on this quest."

"That might not be a good idea, Sesshoumaru-sama..." Kagome bowed her head respectfully. She fully expected him to answer her rudely, but as his retort never came, she realized he was waiting for her to explain.

"You are the accused Lord, is it not better that you stay out of this?"

"Hn." Ah, there it was! That sound!

"It is BECAUSE This Sesshoumaru has been accused that This Sesshoumaru has decided to accompany you."

"Is it not tiresome to speak in third person all the time, my Lord?"

"There is no flaws in how This One wishes to speak, miko!"

"Ah, found one flaw right there, Sesshoumaru-sama! I'm no miko!"

"Explain."

Kagome sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

 _Yes. Explain that one, Kagome. Please do. And do it in a way you, yourself can understand and fathom..._

"Kagome is the Shikon Miko, my Lord. Kishino Hito is a Warrior-Priest."

She received no response, just a cold stare.

Sighing again, Kagome stepped forwards, continuing to walk down the well-traveled path. Sesshoumaru silenly walked next to her.

"I ask you to try and understand, Sesshoumaru-sama...Kishino Hito is a HUGE part of who I am now, and Kagome is the lesser part of me. Right now I am a wandering warrior with holy powers. I've travelled across all these lands for ten years and over the course of those years Kishino Hito has become a known name to many, and it's well respected among both humans and youkai."

"You wish to be identified as someone else than yourself."

"I didn't say that, exactly..."

"It is exactly what you said, woman..."

Kagome froze for a split second as he addressed her like that.

"This Sesshoumaru does not quite understand your need to be someone else than the Shikon Miko, for none are more powerful than her."

"It's not about power! It's...look...The Shikon Miko hasn't been heard from in twenty years, Sesshoumaru-sama...Kishino Hito is someone people can relate to. He's someone who's reputation is not born from myth or legend. My legend is my own, not tied to a legendary jewel..."

"Is not the Shikon a part of you now?"

"Wow, you are talkative today! Yes it is. But no one outside our little...circle...knows."

"And you prefer it that way."

"Yes. Tell me, Sesshoumaru-sama; Are you recognized and respected because you are your father's son, or because you have earned your own respect and power?"

"Hn."

"Which means...?"

"This Sesshoumaru sees your point...Hito-sama. You've created an identity that is not tied to or influencd by people and happenings in the past..."

She flashed him a bright smile as he addressed her. He'd caught on to it! He understood.

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama." She bowed her head quickly and looked ahead of them to the path ahead.

"You prefer that This Sesshoumaro also acknowledges you as male?"

She groaned softly.

"Yes, that would be tremendously helpful, at least when we are in the presence of others. Alone like this, you can refer to me as woman, girl, or whatever."

"'Whatever' is no gender, Hito-sama."

Kagome's eyes widened and she coughed to hide her spontaneous laugh.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, was that an attempt at humour?"

She caught a brief glimpse of the faintest of smirks which tugged the corner of the Taiyoukai's lips upwards, but as soon as she'd seen it it was gone.

"This One has a great sense of humour."

Kagome stopped, watching Sesshoumaru continue down the path. His long silver hair swayed gracefully behind him as he walked. He claimed to have a great sense of humour?

"SINCE WHEN!?"

"We will see the Northern Lord first. Keep up, Miko - you're falling behind."

Kagome opened and closed her mouth, before she 'humphed' and hurried after the Inu Taiyoukai.

"North it is..."

~~~O~~~


	14. Cat and Dog (travelling)

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

 **A.N.:** __ **Heeeey everybody! Did you miss me? =P  
So, summer's over and done with, bring on autumn! And HEY! It's Christmas Eve in FOUR months! Wooooo! Summer's been interesting enough, coulda done without it to be fair, but one can't just skip seasons unfortunately -.-''  
SO! Here's a chapter. I will admit I find myself a little rusty after not having touched my laptop for story-writing-purposes all summer. Pieces of this chapter (and the next one) has been written in tiny bulks and chunks, so I've had my job cut out for me when piecing everything together so they kinda make sense.**

 **Yes, they WILL reach their destination in the next chapter! *snigger***

~~~O~~~

 **CHAPTER FOURTEEN - CAT AND DOG**

* * *

Two days had passed in moderate silence. Sesshoumaru wasn't a very talkative creature and preferred the silence to pointless conversation - and the years of travelling alone had transformed Kagome into Kishino; one who also appreciated the silence for what it was; peace.

The peace offered room for thoughts to wander. The peace offered time to really take in the surroundings and notice the shifts in landscape and scenery. The beauty of nature, undisturbed, enjoyed and interpreted by oneself without influence of others opinions. Sounds one might not hear in the midst of voices were enhanced; running water, various birds and animals, sometimes the vague sounds of villages came from somewhere off the path they were taking towards the North. The peace offered itself to those who embraced it. Unbeknown to both adults they shared the same opinion on just this.

"Kishino-sama!" Tsuren yawned and stretched his arms above his head before his hands came down to his face to rub his eyes. He had been walking since noon, and it was now nearing sunset. He was beyond tired.

"I know." Kishino picked him up and placed the sleepy child into the safe and warm cocoon of the makeshift haori-sling, shifting him carefully onto her back. She was amazed at the expanse of time the child had endured today before caving in to his exhaustion. A quick glance to the Youkai Lord then back to the child had her smiling. Tsuren didn't want the Lord to think him weak. Her brave little boy!

"Sleep well, baby..." she whispered in a hushed tone to the already slumbering seal-cub. Off to sleep in less than three seconds, bless his little heart!

She caught Sesshoumaru giving them a quick glance, and she tilted her head slightly. He rarely offered them any attention when walking unless some of them unintentionally did something that required him to spare a second to divert his gaze to them then back.

"What?" She heard herself ask the stoic youkai. There was no annoyance in her tone, nor did she really manage a demanding tone either - he was merely asking for the curiosity of it.

It did not surprise her that he simply averted his gaze and kept walking. Behind his back, Kishino rolled her eyes at him and followed. She sped up slightly and fell into place next to him while her sharp eyes drank in the view of the winding road ahead. They would be heading into mountain landscape come midday tomorrow. Steep climbing ahead. Oh joy... She was fit, alright, and her stamina was well developed and enhanced - but mountain-climbing still wasn't a favourite. Never had been. Go figure...

The sun was setting and darkness began to creep across the land, the shadows grew longer and darker, and she knew they would be stopping for the night soon. She also knew that as long as there was a speck of light still shining in the horizon, Sesshoumaru would take advantage of it and keep walking - so she refrained from even voicing the idea of stopping now.

She didn't really mind - she was used to walking all day and well into the night. There was something very special about the air as it changed with the setting sun. Night and day smelled different to her, it breathed differently into her lungs and offered her inner peace the times she had time to fully enjoy it - like now. It had always been like that - ever since that fated day so long ago when she first fell down the well. The air here was easier to breathe and she did consider herself lucky to experience it, as she knew that one day - this clean air would be all but a distant memory...

When the time came and they finally made camp, Kishino went through her practised routines: She found a tree and placed Tsuren down carefully by its roots, making sure he was warm and comfortable. Her weapons were removed from her person in tactical turns and leaned carefully against the tree she intended to rest under. She made no moves to remove the leather armour underneath her self-tailored turtleneck jumper, it stayed on.

Sesshoumaru watched with slight curiosity as the female-male went through a series of stretches to loosen up tense muscles and stiff joints - though the way she moved didn't imply that she had troubles with either. Never had he seen a human as flexible as this one, he was secretly impressed. The grace she possessed was inhuman. He did not know how she had accomplished this - twenty years ago she had been a reckless and overly clumsy woman who tripped over pebbles and leaves in her path. He did, however, take into consideration the amount of years that had passed. She had had many years to practice and refine herself.

Had that human body no solid bones? She leaned and bent, stretched, craned and arched her body in a highly practised routine - even with her armour still on she made it look effortless.

He continued to watch in secret as she stretched.

"I do not assume you'll be carrying or aiding me and my ward tomorrow on the practically vertical paths up the mountains, My Lord." The mirth in her tone made him want to scoff. She placed her hands on her hips for a brief moment, casting him a disapproving look when he didn't deign it necessary to reply to her. Humph.

Finally done with her inhuman stretching, she jumped nimbly from foot to foot for a few seconds, then stretched her arms above her head and inhaled deeply.

"There. Come on mountain, give me your worst!" She pointed at the mountain range in the distance as she dared her challenge to the wind, causing Sesshoumaru to momentarily wonder if she had, over the years, lost pieces of her sanity.

Before she settled underneath the tree to sleep, Kishino offered the Youkai Lord some dried fruits and berries from one of the pouches she kept in her bag. Sesshoumaru declined with a small, respectful gesture of his hand and Kishino inclined her head. She hadn't really expected him to accept food, but at least she had offered - it was only polite when travelling together after all - teammates looked after eachother. She shifted onto the floor and pulled the sleeping child into her lap while casting a barrier around the small camp.

"Sleep, Miko. This One will keep guard."

"Hn..." Kishino scoffed slightly, cracking her eyes open to stare at the ethereal male across the fire. He sat leaned against a tree, one knee pulled up with one arm resting across it. A typical him pose.

"Sleep, youkai. This One has cast a protective barrier. Nothing can get through."

They stared at eachother - battling mentally, arrogant in their own way, stubborn alphas from different worlds. Gold trying to stare down stormy blue - and the other way around. Kishino's eyebrow twitched slightly after a minute of soundless staring.

"Just relax, alright?" She released a sigh before closing her eyes again.

"Hn. What if This One decided to be off with you in your sleep for your lack of respect?"

"Knock it off..." Kishino groaned tiredly. Sesshoumaru briefly pondered this strange wording.

"You're not bound to slay a sworn ally in their sleep, least of all a sleeping child! We'll take turns if it's so important! You protected the camp last night and the night before. Tonight I protect the camp. Tomorrow you can do it. That way we both get rest and both get to protect. Compromise! Now get some sleep!"

"Hn."

Sesshoumaru mused this woman's logic. He found her entire existence mindboggling. What she had done, what she had accomplished, the choice to live like she had done for so long... She was highly irritating! And that blasted back-talk! He should cut out her tongue for daring to speak the way she does! She really had some nerve, and a big problem with respecting authorities! He flared his aura just to annoy her, figuring he'd deprive her of some sleep as punishment for now.

"Seriously, knock it off! You aura's all over the place! If I wake up tomorrow with a headache I promise I will make your coming days AS miserable as I possibly can!"

The Taiyouai felt an involuntary tug at the corner of his lips. Well...rude and disrespectful she might be at times, but at least she provided a more interesting companionship than Jaken ever did during past travels. He'd let her live. She amused him. Golden amber eyes rested on the form of the human and her seal-cub until he closed his own eyes. He reeled in his aura and exhaled softly. He wouldn't sleep, but he would rest. Compromise.

* * *

Morning greeted him with the scent of meat roasting over fire. He didn't open his eyes until he was fully awake, and when he did he saw the small seal-youkai boy sitting by the fire munching on a decently sized fish. The boy showed good appetite and seemed quite happy to have his fish raw.

A bowl of sliced raw meat was shoved infront of Sesshoumaru's face, and he threw a dark look up at the calm face of his travelling companion. She gave nothing away in her expression.

"You hunted?" He asked coolly, and she replied with a curt nod. The bowl remained held in front of his face until he reluctantly accepted it. The Miko knew about youkai feeding...raw meat was preferred especially with the predator population of youkai.

Kishino took a seat next to Tsuren and started eating her own food which seemed to consist of roasted meat and a collection of vegetables. He slowly grasped a piece of meat from his bowl and put it in his mouth. Boar. The tenderness, and the size of the carcass hanging over the fire suggested a piglet. The first thought that struck him was that she hadn't managed to take down anything bigger - but the more he thought about it, he realized she hadn't meant to hunt big game. Why hunt for more food than they could consume or carry? It would be a waste...

"Tell me, Hito-sama..."

"Drop the honorifics. I know you do not truly respect me enough to use it, and it sounds more like an insult than an acknowledgement of status. Just drop it." The ravenhaired creature threw him a cold glance before she resumed eating.

Sesshoumaru clenched his jaw when he was interrupted. For once, could she just..

"Hito..." he'd not be as familiar with her as to use her first name. A quick glance before she focused on her eating again told him she was listening.

"You sent yourself to investigate the victims of this poison..." there was a question in there somewhere.

"Yeah..." she stopped her chewing for a small moment before she swallowed and put the bowl aside. She put her fingertips together and balanced her chin atop of her joined thumbs, giving Sesshoumaru her undivided attention.

"Elaborate." The Youkai Lord demanded, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"What if I do not want to, My Lord?" She arched an eyebrow at him, causing a small growl to rip from his throat.

She merely tilted her head at his agitated sound and placed a hand on Tsuren's shoulder to calm him, then she sighed and lowered her gaze to the bowl of food in her lap.

"A few years ago I discovered that my blood reacts to poisons in an interesting fashion, alright?" She began, frowning.

"I'm not entirely immune, but the poison is purified from my system before it can cause severe damage to my nervous system and internal organs, or body in general" She hesitated a slight second before continuing:

"As it leaves my system I can identify what the poison's made up of, if it's conjured, or if it's typical to a certain plant or animal - or youkai..."

"Why could not the Shikon Miko see to the victims?"

"The Shikon Miko hasn't been around for twenty years..."

"That is not what I asked!"

"I'm more comfortable looking into it as Kishino Hito! Some of the Lords I've already met and aided in the past! They can find it in themselves to trust my powers and knowledge! You heard their outrage when the Shikon Miko chose to speak to them at the meeting!"

"Your power..."

"No matter how much power I hold, the Shikon Miko is still a woman, and even if people respect her greatly, a man's word will still rule over hers!"

Sesshoumaru was really fighting against his instinct to properly put that creature in her rightful place. She dared interrupt him once again, and then proceeded to raise her voice to him!

"Yeah, go ahead, get angry you big poodle! I speak the truth, and you know it!"

That did the trick! The air grew heavy between them and felt electric - and not in a good way. They both moved at the same time, in a flash.

Tsuren remained in his spot by the fire, shoving pieces of fish into his mouth as the adults clashed together, weapons drawn, metal meeting metal. His big, round brown eyes tried to follow the blur of motion, but quickly gave up on that and returned his attention to his meal. He was just a child, but he already knew better than to step between adults.

Kishino's hot temper and quick tongue really didn't match well with Lord Sesshoumaru's pride and sense of superiority. Though they clearly respected one another to a certain degree, they were too much like dog and cat to get along peacefully for longer periods of time. They'd settle soon, the little seal youkai decided, not overly worried.

* * *

As the silence of evening fell upon them, Sesshoumaru caught himself discretely observing the human travelling companion he had obtained. It had been too long since he had had any kind of company while he was outside the Castle walls - not that he had missed company, he was a solitary being despite being an Inu Youkai. How ironic it seemed that his companion once again was a human - and a powerful Miko no less - the Shikon Miko - the Warrior Priest - his half-brothers past companion.

And if he delved into it too much he would find that he really didn't mind her company. She was much more comfortable to be around now. Her scent was calming, natural, of the forest and the sea. The concoction she used to hide her female scent was powerful, but not enough to hide from his superior sense of smell. He caught the almost invisible traces of lavender - not an overly feminine scent, but it was there. She had learned to blend in and still stand out. Remarkable.

It didn't seem to annoy him as much that she was human - as far as he was concerned the only thing human about her was her appearance. Her blood was purified, time did not age it. And she did in no ways have the normal stench of impending death that humans normally carried thanks to their short lifespan. It was pleasant.

She was quieter now as well - when she didn't argue with him. Much appreciated. He remembered twenty years ago how quick she was to anger over little insignificant things. She'd voice her displeasure if something didn't sit right with her, she'd explode whenever someone were disrespectful towards herself, and especially towards Inuyasha. She'd cry for others, for the horrible fates she saw, the deaths she witnessed.

Now...she was much like himself. Collected - accepting that life was not fair - not for anyone; Not for youkai, not for humans, not for immortals, plants or animals. Life just was. As it always had been. She seemed to have come to terms with the things she couldn't change, but she still fought for the things she could change.

She was, perhaps, a little too much like him - proof being that they both now sported bruises and healing cuts from their previous clash of prideful tempers. She was skilled in battle, he'd learned that now, and she'd handled her katana masterfully. Yes, she had actually managed to marr his pristine skin - but he'd been the victor in the end, of course - he was superior in all ways! Once she admitted defeat with his claws around her throat after a slip of a second's distraction, they had stared eachother down, then resumed their meal with the cub. Sesshoumaru touched his slightly sore left cheekbone. It annoyed him beyond measure that he'd allowed her to strike him, but then again; it also fascinated him - he didn't understand how she'd done it.

"You're staring, Sesshoumaru."

The Lord blinked his eyes slowly, his thoughtful gaze came into focus and he found that he, indeed, had been staring at her. He knew he had been caught in the act, so why deny it - it was beneath him to lie.

"Hn." The silverhaired youkai inclined his head.

"This One merely ponders the changes in yourself, Hito."

He saw the bright flash in the human's eyes as he called her by the name she'd requested he'd call her by. It truly meant that much to her?

"You know, Sesshoumaru-sama...I see no reason for us to be on such formal terms, really. We are allies, and travelling together with a shared mission. How about we drop the formalities when we are alone, and use honorifics when in the presence of others?"

Sesshoumaru's left eyebrow arched up ever so slightly. To drop the formalities meant a close familiar bond or sign of friendship. Apparently the human caught on to his thoughts, because there was a very unmistakable rolling of eyes.

"Right now, Sesshoumaru, I am the closest thing you have to a friend, would it really be that bad to just call me Kishino?" Kagome cast him a wry smile before rolling her aching shoulders. Blocking the blows from the Western Lord would be felt tomorrow for sure.

His eyebrow twitched slightly. Amused. He was amused.

"This Sesshoumaru agrees...Kishino." His response made the human relax, a small smile played across her lips.

"But only when alone like this." He added in a bored tone.

"Of course, Sesshoumaru."

The human stood from her seat by the fire and stretched her lean body, arms above her head. He was struck with how she managed to manipulate her muscles and body in general, there was nothing feminine about her body at this moment. Then he thought about something...an unusual thought for him...

"You had a brother, back in your time, did you not?"

She froze mid-stretch, her eyes widening slightly as she gazed directly at him. Slowly she nodded, and he tilted his head.

"This One can imagine...that he would look much like you when he reaches this age..."

He could tell she was caught completely off guard. Her mouth opened and closed - amusing - then she promptly sat back down. Her hand absently reached out to pet her little ward's head, then she suddenly smiled and her features softened.

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru...I've never thought about that, actually. Now I won't fear forgetting about him anymore..."

"You'd forget your own kin?"

"Human minds are forgetful, given enough time I have no doubt I would have."

"You are no longer human, Kishino. Your mind will never know forgetfulness."

"Ahh, but I have already forgotten who I once was, Sesshoumaru. I do not remember how to be or how to act like Kagome anymore..."

"That knowledge is dormant, but not forgotten. I see alot of Kagome left in you - you are much like yourself even if it's not felt by you."

"You're just full of positivity tonight, aren't you? Proper little ray of sunshine...beating me up must've put you in a good mood!" She smirked sarcastically.

"It bothers you?"

"It's...unusual."

"Hn."

They stared at eachother, then she grinned, incredibly entertained by their sudden and easy exchange of words.

Sesshoumaru felt the corner of his lips pull upwards in the smallest, faintest, briefest of smiles before his stoic expressionless mask was back in place.

"Good Night, Sesshoumaru." He caught her muffled whisper as she curled herself around her ward.

"Sleep soundly, Kishino." His golden eyes turned to the canopy slightly overshading the clear sky.

* * *

They had been climbing the mountainsides for close to two hours now - they'd started at the break of dawn. She could already sense the change in the air. That slightly more crispy tinge that added a small bite to the otherwise gentle breeze.

"You alright, Tsuren?" She called merrily, her eyes were glued to the small boy who leapt between boulders and stones, displaying a type of energy that should be illegal when walking up steep paths such as these. Perhaps he was half mountain goat youkai... She grinned as she thought this, and drew a deep breath before she, herself, continued upwards - strong hands gripping at rocks for support, sure feet finding safe ground to tread on the otherwise treacherous and sometimes unstable mountainside.

The Taiyoukai had settled into her pace, funny enough. She knew he could've climbed the entire mountain in three leaps, but he chose to keep her company instead. He could've flown up and above the mountain peaks on his youki cloud, but he didn't do that either. To her this was an enigma and it entertained her mind while her body climbed on upwards. She had to distract her mind in some way while pushing herself physically.

She didn't try to make conversation with the stoic, silent Lord this morning. Somehow she guessed that if she tried to speak, it would be some sort of acknowledgement to the fact that she suspected he was slowing his pace to match hers because he maybe found her presence tolerable.

If she struck up a conversation, he would most likely give her a cold stare and take off in those three leaps she'd mused about earlier. She'd hate to eat his dust...

Kishino scoffed to herself, ignoring the questioning, biting glare the Inu Youkai threw her. She dared an equally frosty glare at him before they both went back to seemingly ignoring eachother again. She'd no need to share her amusement with him!

Sesshoumaru was content with his companion's silence. She showed good instinct despite her human heritage - she knew not to engage in an unnecessary exchange of words, even if - perhaps - she wanted to. Humans were talkative creatures by nature. He found it interesting to observe in his own discrete manner how her face struggled to maintain its neutral expression. Clearly her thoughts were wandering, finding amusement in something - the slightly more narrowed than normal eyes of the person she now portrayed were glittering brightly.

"Papa!" Both adults looked up at the sharp cry.

"Shit." Kishino swore under her breath. Her left foot braced against a large stone and she leapt upwards, catching the leaping child midair and curling herself around him. The child had leapt off the wrong boulder in his adventurous mode and would've tumbled down the steep mountain side as a result of it, hit every rock on the way down, end up dead... Kishino would shield him with her own life as the price to pay if she so had to - because she knew that she, too, had leapt without thinking. There was no flat ground beneath her to land securely on.

They didn't fall, though. Kishino froze as strong arms caught her, and the abrupt stop she had anticipated became a floating sensation, and she could see over the top of Tsuren's head that they were moving upwards. She got a sinking feeling in her guts. Aw, damnit! Now she owed him!

"Thank you." She murmured quietly, knowing fully well that the Inu Youkai could hear her.

"Hn."

* * *

The steep climb finally ended as they reached a more level path which lead them along the mountainside rather than directly upwards. Now, Sesshoumaru had to admit that it had been some time since he'd visited the Northern lands, but he could've sworn that that large and unnatural crevice hadn't been there before... So he stopped, and took the time to study it a little more closely. Next to him, Kishino had stopped also - the human's face was solemn, but the irises were dark as night.

"This is where the corrupt dragon was defeated..." Kishino murmured quietly. Sesshoumaru frowned briefly. He had thought it a made up rumour up till now, one made up to boost the Warrior Priest's reputation - as humans sometimes do. Dragon Youkai were among the most powerful creatures known...second to his line, of course.

As his sharp gaze wandered across the nearby surroundings he clearly saw the aged signs of a massive battle, there was no doubt that something had gone down here. His golden eyes wandered to the human next to him.

"How long did the battle last?"

Shoulders rose in a shrug.

"Two days..."

Golden orbs met midnight blue.

"...I lived to tell the tale..." the heavy sarcasm that laced her voice was almost as amusing as her stone-masked face.

"This One has not heard this tale told."

"Hn...I have not told the tale myself..."

A quick look from the Youkai encouraged Kishino to elaborate. It did not escape the Youkai's attention that his companion hesitated, and even showed reluctance in regards to talking about this fight.

"The stories have been told by the witnesses, retold by those who've heard it from them - and so it spread. I have had no need to tell the tale personally; I lived it - I really don't need to relive it."

Sesshoumaru felt no need to pry into the human's reasons for not wanting to talk about such a great deed, and so silence fell upon them once again - and soon enough the scene was behind them, and in the distance ahead of them the mountain palace of the Lord of the North.

* * *

To say the Northern Palace was in the distance was no understatement. It was in the far, FAR distance.

"You know there was once a time where I believed you Lords had your Castles conveniently placed for easy access...like in a circle, or even a square, with equal distance between you..."

"Were we to rule that close to eachother's borders, Kishino, then war would rage often, and lives be lost faster than new ones could enter the world..."

"Well, I know that NOW!" The human smirked ironically and the youkai fought the urge to roll his eyes.

Kishino watched the glittering mountain lake - a small white seal cub swam in its shallows. She'd let him take his seal form for a relaxing swim, and it brought her some peace to watch him leap out of the water, chase minnow, scare birds...

She and Sesshoumaru had downed a small mountain goat and were both indulging in some proper food after the climb.

"Do you wonder why I haven't asked for you to just fly us there?"

"It has crossed This One's mind."

"I enjoy travelling." She sighed and smiled, shifting so she was partially resting on her back, propping herself up on her elbows while her long legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles.

"To know I get to places on my own accord, relying on my own strength and endurance, my own wit and cunning - that's what makes it worth it. It's straining, it tests my patience, it makes me humble and respectful in the face of nature and the forces of the weather."

"Hn. This One should, perhaps, place you back at the base of the mountain again then, seeing as This One saw it fit to prevent your death. That way you can rely on your strength and patience on the way back up."

Kishino sniggered quietly, then blinked at him - he really wouldn't do that, would he?

"Point taken - I'll decline that offer for now. We do actually need to get to the Northern Palace soon." She inclined her head in the Inu Youkai's direction and he seemed pleased with her response. He hated being delayed.

"This One will suggest, then, that you keep your ward close if the need to climb again arises..."

"Point two for Sesshoumaru! I must admit, I thought this would be way more unpleasant…"

"Unpleasant?"

"Ah." Kishino gave a quick nod.

"I am not accustomed to travelling with anyone else for company than Tsuren…"

They fell silent for a good few minutes, both thinking their own thoughts. During this time the little boy came running towards them and righ into Kishino's waiting arms. She cooed and nuzzled the youkai child before wrapping him in her haori, securing him in her lap with her arms around him.

"This Sesshoumaru could've chosen worse travelling companions."

Stormy blue eyes locked on the whiteclad male.

"You know, I will take that as a compliment!" She grinned and they relaxed again, in silence. And the sun began to set.

"Worse meaning Jaken..."

"And I take away your points!"


	15. First taste of Poison

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

 **A.N.: Ever left a package of minced chicken meat in the fridge for too long? Then when you take it out and open it - you regret ever waking up that morning? Ever thrown that minced meat in the trash - only to forget to take out the trash right away? Can you imagine that smell intensified by a hundred and then add rotten eggs and some sour aged milk? Welcome to the Northern Castle.**

~~~O~~~

* * *

 **CHAPTER FIFTEEN - FIRST TASTE OF POISON**

* * *

"Lord Mousen!" Kishino bowed his head respectfully to the Northern Lord as he greeted them outside the Castle Walls. On his left Tsuren bowed his head the same way, copying his protector.

The Lord was an impressive male - a black wolf - of an ancient and pure bloodline, and it showed in his aristocratic and clean features. His hair was long and healthy, kept in a low ponytail at the nape of his neck, pitch black with streaks of auburn. He wore black hakamas, black boots, and a black obi tied around his waist, and covering his strong torso; a golden suikan with black wolves embroidered onto to the sides. He was a striking specimen, with golden, warm brown eyes that pierced through you - and his aura felt like fire, a stark contrast to Sesshoumaru's ice. Lord Mousen was what Kishino would describe as a 'pristine' wolf. Not uncouth and wild like many of his kind were known to be.

Sesshoumaru merely inclined his head to the older Lord in greeting before his golden eyes glanced around warily - there was a foul stench of death surrounding the palace - he was surprised that the Northern Lord hadn't evacuated to another of his mountain abodes until the situation was dealt with.

"Hito-sama..." The massive black wolf youkai placed his clawed hand on the shoulder of the smallest male present, giving it a gentle squeeze in a friendly welcome.

"It's been many years since you last visited the North...I am sorry your return here is because of these tragic events..." his molten brown eyes bore signs of wariness and exhaustion - and Kishino felt a twinge of sympathy towards him. To see ones own people and closest friends submit to something lethal and unknown, powerless to stop it... It was very clear that this was weighing heavily on his strong shoulders. These were indeed very trying days for him and his lands.

"The Shikon Miko sent you?"

Kishino placed his own hand ontop of the hand that rested on his shoulder, and nodded once, and the larger hand was removed from his person.

"The Shikon Miko and I know eachother well." Kishino offered the smallest of smiles before continuing;

"She trusted that I would aid you with my knowledge." The words came without hesitation and Sesshoumaru could detect no deceit or lies in Kishino's aura - this was perhaps because there wasn't an actual lie in there at all - Kishino and the Shikon Miko DID, in all fairness, know eachother.

Lord Mousen nodded, not unhappy to see the human warrior-priest at all, then turned on his heel and walked up towards his Castle. Kishino thought to ask about the whereabouts of the guards and the castle's protectors in general. He could detect no other auras to suggest others were actually living here, but...he did not speak the question.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, Hito-sama...I'll show you to your chambers personally. My Generals are on patrol, and most servants are..." the black wolf didn't continue, but both Kishino and Sesshoumaru caught on to what he wouldn't say - the answer to the question Kishino hadn't wanted to ask...

"Is there someone who can watch over my ward while I investigate?" Kishino remembered to ask Lord Mousen in a careful and respectful way - he couldn't even begin to imagine bringing Tsuren with him to see the victims. The Lord's tired eyes softened when he glanced down at the little seal youkai; the black wolf adored children, and had many of his own - all seven had moved out of the Palace to seek their own fortunes, unfortunately. They had been spared the dreadful fate that had taken so many lives.

"Your ward may stay with me, Hito-sama. I will not set foot in those dungeons. Only the most skilled healers dare descend to the lower levels once the victims pass..."

Kishino and Sesshoumaru exchanged looks before the silverhaired male gave a short 'hn' and Kishino dared a quick look at his ward, but the little boy was already reaching for Lord Mousen's hand. The child had only seen the black wolf from a distance ten years ago, Kishino wasn't sure if Tsuren even remembered, but he was glad the boy seemed to trust the blackhaired Youkai - which made it easy to accept that offer.

"I am honoured you volunteer for such a task, my Lord. You have my thanks."

Lord Mousen shook his head and smiled quickly at the human priest.

"It is no trouble at all, Hito-sama, I assure you."

"This Sesshoumaru will go with the warrior-priest to see the victims of this poison."

The black wolf turned slightly and threw the fellow Lord a surprised glance, but nodded non the less. The mere thought of Lord Sesshoumaru, the pristine Inu Lord, entering such a foul place...it baffled him, that was all. He had not anticipated it.

"Join me for a meal - then rest tonight. I'll show you the entrance to the dungeons tomorrow..."

* * *

They were shown around the mountainside Castle to pass time until the evening meal was served. The grand building was partially carved into the mountain side, the outer part looked and seemed like any other grand castle of this time and age, but once you journeyed beyond the entrance hall, the inner rooms reminded Kishino of fancy caves with carvings, stairs, and tunnels instead of hallways. Wolves would be wolves, hm?

The air was surprisingly fresh, if one ignored the sickly sweet scent of death, so clearly someone had engineered some form for ventilation - which was impressive in Kishino's book.

Sesshoumaru was given a Chamber made especially for visiting royalty, and Kishino and Tsuren were lodged in a room a little further down the hall for those who were important guests, but not royalty. This fit Kishino just fine, she had no arguments there. Would be nice to have a private chamber and where it was just herself and Tsuren. Privacy!

* * *

The meal was had silence, none of the three visitors showed great appetite - much thanks to the overwhelming scent which lingered everywhere.

Lord Mousen was aware of this, but the proud wolf youkai did not apologize for the discomfort as it wasn't much he could do about it. They had tried incense, they had tried opening all doors and windows of the outer Castle to air it out, but to no avail. His servants had been relocated to his other homes in the Northern territory - those who weren't dead, that is - but this was still the main residence of the Lord, so he remained here. Three servants in total remained in the Castle with the Lord. Two males and one female - and they helped serve the food and tend to the guests as best they could. He was powerful enough to protect this home by himself, his Generals protected the rest of his lands, and his people were better off away from this cursed palace.

Kishino watched the two Lords while they ate. Tsuren was sleeping next to her, the little white head resting in his protector's lap. He'd been all over the place when they were shown around, asking question upon question to the Black Wolf - who showed great patience with the curious child. Lord Mousen was fascinated with Tsuren - having only heard stories of the illusive seal-youkais himself, and never met one before.

"I don't think either of you should be going downstairs to where the dead are kept, my Lords..." Kishino butted in after overhearing the two youkai discuss the subject of where the dead ones were kept.

A pair of amber eyes locked on her in an ice-cold deathglare, while the other pair of eyes, molten brown, showed genuine surprise and curiosity at the statement. Neither had been aware that Kishino had paid attention to their hushed conversation.

"I am human, right? - and even I am bothered by the smell. I can only imagine how terrible it must be for you with your enhanced sense of smell - being canine youkai. Going down there will overpower your senses..."

"This Sesshoumaru will see with his own eyes what this poison does, Hito-sama!"

"Will not my word suffice, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

The icy glare intensified, and Kishino felt the hairs at the back of his neck stand on end, but he wasn't about to openly submit to the Western's Lord and said Lord's silent threat of not testing him infront of another Lord.

The two of them battled it out mentally before Kishino raised his shoulders in a shrug. It was not a sign of submission, which really irked the Inu Youkai!

"Fine, you can join me in the dungeons and see for yourself. If you pass out, I will not carry you back up here. AND you will not disturb me while I do what I need to do!"

The Inu Taiyoukai growled deeply, while Lord Mousen rested his chin ontop of one of his hands and watched with amusement glittering in his eyes. This human priest and self-proclaimed warrior really lacked the healthy respect for those of noble blood and pure bloodlines, or of high standing titles, even superior species. The brief, miffed, expression that crossed Sesshoumaru's face before it faded was such a rare sight to behold it caused Lord Mousen to chuckle loudly. This drew the Inu Taiyoukai's gaze to rest upon him instead of the priest.

"You two must be very familiar with eachother, I assume?" The blackhaired youkai shifted slightly to put his head in his hand and gazed at his guests with a small smile playing across his lips.

"For this human to dare talk to the Lord of the West in such a tone and get away with his life..."

The blackhaired warrior-priest cleared his throat before shrugging his shoulders.

"Lord Sesshoumaru's Heir is my best friend in the whole world. He knows that should he happen to hurt me, his Heir will kick his backside into the next century..." Kishino knew she was taking a risk by daring to imply that Sesshoumaru could be beaten by his Heir, but it just slipped out before she could stop the flow of words.

"You dare..." Sesshoumaru growled deeply at the insolent human for even suggesting that the kit could beat him! Kishino merely arched an eyebrow arrogantly in response to his growl. Could she not once hold her tongue?!

"You have no idea what I'll dare, Sesshoumaru-sama." Kishino tilted his head, a silent challenge, his stormy blue eyes keeping the burning amber eyes locked.

"Shall I, perhaps, take your ward off your hands for a little while, Hito-sama? I can smell Tokijin's lust for blood." Lord Mousen, ever so amused, smirked at the hackles that had risen in both guests.

"No need, Mousen-sama..." Kishino was already on his feet,Tsuren securely in his arms.

"We will retire for the evening. I thank you for the meal, My Lord. I'll bring Tsuren to you at the brink of dawn. I shall start my examination early..." he bowed his head and left the dining room, remembering the way back to the chambers.

Lord Mousen watched the black clad young human man retreat, then his eyes dug into the Inu who only regarded him coolly in return.

"Why is he not dead, Sesshoumaru?"

"This One sees more benefits in keeping him alive."

"You do not allow anyone to speak so freely in your presence!"

"Hn." The silverhaired male closed his eyes, a small frown on his brow and ended the conversation just like that.

Well, Lord Mousen thought as he watched the stoic Inu Taiyoukai, these coming days would prove to be most interesting. This Kishino Hito was an unusual character for sure.

"You've known eachother long?"

"Long enough."

"Obviously. Do you trust him?"

"Sometimes."

Mousen leaned back slightly in his seat, observing the evasive Western Lord. Seeing that he would get no more descriptive answers from the Inu, he decided to save the rest of the questions for later.

* * *

The next day arrived all too soon, it seemed. Waking up, and knowing what task lay ahead made Kishino want to bury herself inside the futon and never come out. Tsuren had, of course, other plans! He had decided that bouncing ontop of his protector until said protector rolled out from under the covers to chase him around the room was a brilliant idea! He squealed with joy when Kishino finally caught him and tickled him.

"Can't I come with you, papa?" The little boy nuzzled into the crook of Kishino's neck while she rubbed his back soothingly.

"Not where I'm going, sweetheart..." the deeper than normal, gentle voice replied.

"You'd end up all stinky! Stinky fluffpillow!" Kishino snickered, blowing raspberries against the side of Tsuren's belly, drawing a bright laugh from the child.

"I don't wanna stink, papa!"

"Well then I gotta go down there without you, alright?"

"Will Sesshoumaru-sama go with you?"

"He will."

"Will he be a stinking fluffpillow?"

Kishino's eyes shifted slightly, and she bit her lip as she leaned in close to her ward's ear.

"He will be a stinking fluffpillow, but we can't tell him that, ok?" she whispered, feeling Tsuren nod. Deal! No telling the Inu he stinked! They had a small giggle together before getting dressed and read to exit the room.

They met with Lord Mousen at the break of dawn, as promised. Tsuren seemed a little more sceptical about staying with a stranger today while his protector was away to do a job, even though he knew he had to - and he clung to Kishino's right leg like a tick, causing the human male to walk with a very noticeable limp down the hallway towards the waiting adult youkai.

Kishino gave Lord Mousen an exasperated look, gesturing to the sceptical child on his leg, but being very used to handling children, Lord Mousen crouched down to Tsuren's level, and winked at him.

"How about you join me in my study, little one. I have several shades of paint and ink which I am sure you can put to good use..." The black wolf grinned as Tsuren blinked - considering the Lord's suggestion, the spark of curiosity and interest clearly shone in the big brown eyes of the child. Before long he was convinced, and he quickly let go of Kishino, took Lord Mousen's hand and beamed up at the Northern Lord.

"Can I paint anything I like Mousen-sama?"

Kishino hid a grin and attempted a stern expression - though failing miserably - the mirth in his blue eyes ruined the whole image of stern-ness.

"I'll have you know, Lord Mousen: I expect a super-clean seal-cub when I return! If he gets ink splotches in his hair, I will be most displeased..." He winked, and Lord Mousen chuckled deeply.

"I make no promises, Hito-sama! I will have to suffer your displeasure, I fear..." He inclined his head at the warrior-priest, who barely could hold back the chuckle now. Tsuren kept beaming up at the Black Wolf, and the two of them headed down the hall with Kishino trailing behind them.

Sesshoumaru already stood by the door leading into the dining room, pristine and flawless in his appearance as always.

"I trust you will not join us for breakfast either, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Lord Mousen arched an elegant eyebrow at the other Lord, who in turn shook his head slightly. The wolf sighed, but understood. Ushering Tsuren into the dining-room and settling him by the table with food in front of him, the Lord of the North swiftly lead Kishino and Sesshoumaru to the massive doors that lead down towards the crypts.

* * *

Kishino's trained eyes caught the small shift of discomfort crossing Sesshoumaru's gaze, and she waited until Lord Mousen had left them before she pulled out a triangular piece of cloth. She held it out to Sesshoumaru.

When the Lord merely gave her a suspicious glare, she shrugged her shoulders.

"It's got lavender, ground pine bark and mint sown into small pockets several places. It will block out the worst stench."

She saw the elegant eyebrows rise in understanding before he took it from her, donning it around his face so it covered his nose and mouth. Kishino pulled up the neck of her jumper, showing one of its hidden uses as it clearly had been fitted to function as a face-mask when needed. After inhaling deeply, both of them at the same time, Kishino finally pulled open the door, grabbed a torch, and headed down the stairs.

Both immediately wished to turn back, simultaneously hesitating at the top of the stairs, exchanging looks of reluctance.

The air was stale, laced heavily with the foul scent that penetrated the rest of the castle. As they pulled the large doors shut behind them, the stench intensified as stench tends to do when confined. Putrid rotten flesh, diseased flesh. Sesshoumaru was actually quite grateful for the cloth covering his face - it didn't block out the disturbing scent of death completely, but it lessened it, and made it bearable to his superior sense of smell.

They continued downwards until they heard voices. The Healers. The few that still dared venture down here.

As they approached the healers, the voices stilled, and when coming into their view both healers seemed shocked.

"What brave souls dare venture down here to the damned crypts?" The male healer spoke with a raspy voice.

"I am Kishino Hito, warrior-priest, sent here by order of the Shikon Miko to investigate the deaths of your kind." Kishino spoke with confidence and the healers eyed him with narrowed eyes. A human. One of the healers were an old male fox youkai - the one with the raspy voice, and the other was a bird youkai of unknown origin. Neither responded to Kishino in any way or form.

"I need to see the victims of the poison...are anyone still alive?"

The healers simply gazed at the human with sceptical and disapproving eyes, and neither replied this time either, instead they turned to Sesshoumaru and bowed deeply in respect.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, what brings such a legendary Lord to this foul place within Our Lord's Castle?"

Lord Sesshoumaru was, of course, above conversing with another Lord's servants, and merely acknowledged them with a quick glance, then ignored them again. He was interested in seeing how Kishino would deal with being ignored.

"Is anyone still alive?" Kishino repeated, inwardly sighing as the bird youkai cast a dark glare at him before whispering something to the fox.

Finding himself ignored once again, the warrior-priest stepped up to the nearest door on his left and shoved his shoulder into it with force, and was surprised as it caved in immediately - the old wood as rotten as what lay on the other side, and Kishino quickly caught himself on the wall before he stumbled sideways into the dark room.

His stomach lurched. The smell...He pressed the back of his right hand against his nose, forcing his facemask as close to his nostrils as possible so the scent of pine came through more.

"What is the human doing!?" The old fox youkai bellowed, lunging at Kishino to pull him out of the room. The human had anticipated a reaction and released a spark of his intense reiki - watching with a piercing cold glare as the healer withdrew instantly with a fierce hiss of pain.

"This 'human'...is here to find out who has killed these youkai!" He muttered darkly, then grabbed a new torch off the wall and raised it above his head to glance inside the large room he'd just about almost burst into. Oh...shit!

"Sesshoumaru-sama...you have to see this..." His voice came out hoarse as he raised his right hand to his nose again. Kami, the insides of his nostrils burned, and his eyes stung! Inside the room lay rows upon rows of crude futons, Kishino counted twenty, and possibly more outside the circle of light cast by the torch - and on each crude futon lay a corpse.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened but a fraction, and that was all that signalled that he was as surprised by the sheer number as Kishino was. All youkai...in different stages of decomposing. Youkai bodies were resilient, even to the act of decomposition after death - this was not normal at all!

"Any guess?" Sesshoumaru's tone was low, almost a whisper, his golden eyes narrowed and glowing in the shine of the torch.

A quick shake of the priest's head wasn't the uplifting answer he'd hoped for, to be fair. He'd hoped this would be easily solved.

"I've not drawn poison from corpses before..." Kishino hissed through clenched teeth, his guts already clenching in a threatening manner.

"You said...!"

"I said I had experimented! I know what various poisons do, or don't do, to my system, but I've always had live victims of poison to test this new knowledge on, to confirm what I learn when the poison purifies! Or I've had actual sources of poison to experiment with!"

"This One was under the impression that you knew what you were doing!"

"I DO know what I'm doing!"

Kishino had made her way to the middle of the first twenty futons, fighting internally not to gag as a wave of nausea struck.

"The worst thing is..." She heard herself croak out to the impassive Youkai who very wisely had chosen to remain standing by the door.

"...I don't know if there's any poison left at this stage of rotting..."

"So, how will you test for poison?" Sesshoumaru asked, his stoic mask cracking slightly as the putrid scents of decaying flesh and rotting carcasses became too intense for even someone as collected as himself. His canine nose was hyper sensitive, and this…was torture, even with the filter covering half of his face.

Even Kishino, whose sense of smell was hundred times weaker than his, seemed highly disturbed by now.

"Without throwing up, hopefully..." Kishino's strained voice sounded from behind the arm she now kept over her mouth and nose. The almost desperate attempt at humour failed - she felt cold beads of sweat form on her brow. Dread. Complete and utter dread.

"Kami, this is…." A violent shudder went through the lean warrior's body as she held out her right hand, palm facing one of the corpses.

"I need a live victim…"

"No one has lived more than a couple of days after being poisoned, human! What you see here is all who've been affected!" The bird youkai's creaking voice shot out.

"Is there not anything you can make from this?" Sesshoumaru pressed, behind him the Healers were peeking inside the room to see what was going on, and Kishino inwardly cringed.

"Ugh, I really do not want to…." The priest groaned.

"Which one died last?"

After the bird healer had pointed out which had died last, Kishino tried to calm her breath before she knelt on the floor next to one corpse to her right.

"This one died two weeks ago..."

The decomposing flesh seemed to be almost gelatinous underneath the pale greenish skin. She instinctively rolled her neck in aversion to what she was about to do, then pulled up the sleeve on her right arm.

She threw Sesshoumaru a look before she nicked her right palm with a sharp hidden object in her left hand, then quickly inserted the bleeding hand into the corpse's gut, skin tearing and insides sloshing out, coating the lower half of the body, and most of Kishino's.

Sesshoumaru could not stop the initial grimaces that tugged at his features when the warrior priest promptly dug inside the almost liquid flesh. The sound of innards being pushed around in gooey liquid was enough to make even his head spin, the intensified smell made even him gag, it was that awful! He found it overpowering his senses to the point he thought he'd go blind!

"Oh, Kami…." Kishino groaned deeply, tasting the bile in the back of her throat as her hand got coated in the slimy remains of what once were internal organs. Her mind was swimming, her eyesight fading rapidly as her heartrate increased.

Alarms went off in Sesshoumaru's head when he noticed the change in Kishino's skintone, and he hesitated not - rushing in and grabbing hold of the human and pulling her away from the corpse, a trail of slime followed her hand as it was torn away from the corpse. A sickly blackish blue colour spread through the veins in the priest's hand, highlighting them through the skin; from his palm, around to the back of his hand, slowly climbing up towards his wrist and past it towards the elbow.

"Hito!" Sesshoumaru barked carefully, and Kishino turned her dark gaze to meet with his.

"Get me out of here!" She rasped in reply, and the words hadn't left her lips before she was outside, outside in fresh air. She squirmed out of the Youkai's arms and stumbled away from him. She coughed violently as her body desperately tried to empty her stomach of the contents it didn't have.

Kishino leaned heavily against the closest tree she could find while she fought against the tightening of her throat, the constricting sensation around her heart, the decreasing oxygen in her system – and the numbing pain. Old, sure - but still potent. This poison, it was for sure one she hadn't encountered before…

Her strained breath became wheezing sounds, and her limbs no longer kept her upright - so she sagged more and more until she sat on the ground at the base of the tree, her back against its trunk. Her vision blurred and she raised her left hand to wipe them, and was surprised to see red coating her fingers instead of tears.

"Fuck…" she hissed, sniffling as she felt her nose running. Blood, too, no doubt.

"Is this normal?" She could faintly hear the monotone voice of her youkai companion.

"O-ofcourse n-not…" she replied in a breathy tone, trying to ignore the sound of rushing blood in her ears. Wow, her blood-pressure was skyrocketing! A pressing headache made it hard to focus and think straight.

"Will you die?"

"I d-don't k-know…"

"You don't know!?"

Kishino summoned all her strength right then and threw the Lord a death-glare, but he ignored it.

"Do you know wha…"

"S-shut….up…S-sesshoumaru…." Kishino growled as best she could at the moment.

Stormy blue eyes continued the lethal glare at the now quiet Taiyoukai - with blood pouring from her eyes, nose and now also from the corners of her mouth, she made quite a frightful image - the white of her eyes had been completely overtaken by the blood, only the irises remained untainted by red. Quite a demonic sight.

Sesshoumaru did not look away. He had said he wanted to see the effects of this poison - and now he could. This was definitely different from his poison - where his was more of the acidic, instant obliteration kind, this clearly was not acidic. From what he could see it was shutting the body down, causing almost instant flesh decay and accelerating the rate in which the dying flesh decompose.

Once he had deducted this from what he was seeing, he found himself - surprisingly enough - slightly worried; Kishino was not looking well...

If she died now, the mission was definitely over. There would be no Shikon Miko to continue where the Warrior-Priest left off. He needed her to live!

The stoic Lord was about to take a step towards the human, but was surprised to feel the sting of pure reiki, so he hesitated. She'd told him her blood fought poisons...

"S-step back..." Kishino's voice was nothing but a whisper now - her airways constricting and making even the slightest intakes of air hurt.

"P-pre-preferably inside..." Her eyes flashed a bright pinkish hue, and Sesshoumaru got the message - somewhat relieved to feel her powers surfacing. There would be a great burst of youkai-destructive powers soon. While he knew he couldn't be destroyed by it, he did not feel like getting singed unnecessarily either.

"This Sesshoumaru will meet you inside."

He took his leave, and Kishino inhaled with great struggle. Inside. Yes. Hopefully.

* * *

She grimaced once she was alone. She felt like every part of her body was on fire, yet she felt numb and cold at the same time. Stabbing pains ran up her limbs and through her torso, crawled across her skin like barbed wire. She couldn't move, and now she really felt her lungs struggling to provide her system with enough oxygen. Her heart struggled as well - the world was spinning as her blood-pressure all of a sudden went from insanely high to a deadly low. She was going to pass out at this rate - and that would be annoyingly fatal right now...her head felt like it was filled to the brink with lead...

"Shit..." Even such a small crude word took it's toll on her waning strength. As her vision grew darker around the edges she finally gathered enough wits to summon her powers to the surface - realizing that her blood alone wouldn't purify this from her system like it had done with the other poisons she'd tested this way. She should've done this much earlier.

The air crackled, and she hissed at the intense fire that shot through her entire being when the reiki attacked the invading malignant substance and purified it in bright flares of light. The already mindsearing pain increased with her power's interference, causing her body to convulse uncontrollably despite the paralysis. Through her inner mind's eye she could see how her powers throbbed and pulsated through the immediate area where she was currently seated and somewhere in her subconsciousness she was relieved there were no youkai present to get burned to crisp.

Slowly - agonisingly so - the pain subsided, leaving her with the use of her arms and legs again, and she quickly clutched her right arm to her chest. Her heart was steadying its beats - and in a final burst of released reiki, she was satisfied to sense no trace of the poison remaining.

She inhaled in deep gulps, desperate to feed her body with the necessary air it needed. Damnit, that had been a bad one...a very bad one! A terrible one! A real shitty one!

Those poor, poor souls... she knew she'd been damn lucky, with her blood's purifying abilities to slow the poison's effects. The wolf youkai's of the North had stood little to no chance. Their youkai blood, though stronger and more resilient than human blood, would've had no power to fight this. It had still been a close call for her, though. Too close. Damnit...

She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, managing to frown. Salt. She spat at the ground - and seeing that what she spat was mainly blood, she spat again - believing the salty taste in her mouth to come from the blood. When she felt her mouth was cleaner she repeated the clicking of tongue. Still salt. She glared down at her right hand where the recently cut palm already was healing up as if it had never been sliced - she went through all that, to be left with the hideous taste of pure salt in her mouth!? Was that it?!

"Hn..." She scoffed, leaning her head back, casting her gaze up at the canopy of leaves. Oh well, damn. Oops. She'd have to remind Lord Mousen not to go near this tree. Poor plant had been forced to absorb her reiki...it was now a Holy Tree. Ha ha. Oh, man, she needed a new sense of humour - or at least a sense of humour that presented itself at more appropriate times... As she slid those thoughts to the back of her mind she finally found the returned strength she needed in order to push herself up to a standing position.

 _I need to do something about those corpses..._ She thought to herself while patting herself down with her hands to make sure she was indeed alright. Her clothes were intact, her chest armour was in place. Ew, she needed new hakamas...hers were all...gooey, and slimy...and smelled like...

She gagged and leaned back against the tree again, willing the rising nausea back down. She wanted a bath. Needed one. Craved one! And so her eyes wandered to the Castle.

"Man, why'd he drop me off so far from the gates!?"

* * *

"Hito-sama! You made it!" Lord Mousen greeted the slightly staggering priest as said priest appeared in the doorway of his study. Tsuren was laying across a big cushion, using paints on a large canvas which already was covered in little handprints and colourful seal-like shapes. Bless him.

"Barely." Kishino replied stoically with a hint of sarcasm laced into his tone, his face a grim mask of dried blood and cold determination, so Lord Mousen understood the priest did not come to share good news with him. Kishino made a small gesture for the Lord to join him out in the hallway, which the Lord happily did - the child didn't need to see his Protector this unkempt.

"My Lord, I have to purify the remains of your Nobles and servants. The poison turns into disease, potent enough to even affect youkai immune-systems..."

"Is there no other option, Hito-sama? Purifying them means nothing will remain!" Purification meant that relatives of the deceased wouldn't have a place to go to...Lord Mousen did not wish for any of the ones he and his people had lost to be forgotten.

"You should've burned their corpses!"

Mousen frowned deeply at the priest's harsh reminder and a small growl escaped him for the first time since the guests arrived.

"Hito-sama, we tried burning the first who died - the fire would not eat them. We attempted to bury them, but the soil and plants around the gravesite died and became unfertile soil. Do not think we haven't tried putting them to rest in the more respectful ways! Keeping them in the dungeons became the best option!"

This made Kishino think. More details to the mystery. Sigh, and he'd offended the Lord. Good going, Kish!

"I will purify their remains, put their souls to rest..." Kishino met the Lord's narrowed gaze, unafraid. The slight uplift of an upper lip told him that the Lord despised the idea of his youkai ending up as purified ash, so he raised his hands slightly to offer a more peaceful solution - a compromise of sorts.

"I apologize, My Lord. How about this: I will create a small memento for each of the deceased. I'll soothe the souls, and tie them to their very own mementos which the families can collect and put to rest as they see fit. Does that sound better?" He softened slightly, in one way he could understand the Youkai's reluctance to his decision to purify the remains, and the Wolf seemed a little more friendly to the idea he now brought up. A quick nod was all the confirmation he needed to proceed with it.

"...however, first...I would very much like a long private bath, if that could be arranged...I am afraid I smell quite bad...is there a hot spring near by?"

* * *

Peace. Serenity. Heaven. Steaming hot water, soap. Priva...cy...

"You are well." More a statement than a question.

"For flip's sake, Sesshoumaru, I'm bathing! Go away!"

Kishino had been shown to a shielded hot spring within the Castle grounds. Not once over the past twenty years had she wanted to squeal in delight as much as she did when she was shown this location! She'd revelled in the luxury of a private bath, to wash in private, cleanse, rinse, splash around... Of course, leave it to the Ice Lord to ruin that experience for her.

"Lord Mousen told This One of your plan for the deceased. You plan to go back down there..."

"...or stay for a chat, what do I care..." Kishino rolled her eyes when Sesshoumaru ignored her when she told him to go away. So she ignored him in turn, leaning her head back in the hot water and letting her black hair pool around her form while running her fingers through the ebon locks, fingertips massaging the sore scalp thoroughly after having added sandalwood oil to her hands.

"Your plan, Kishino!" The cold voice almost barked from the other side of the bamboo wall that shielded the front of the hot spring from view, and Kishino glared daggers at the Inu Youkai she couldn't currently see.

"To ease their souls, that's all, Sesshoumaru!"

"We should prepare to leave and see the other Lords!"

"I'm gonna finish what I told Lord Mousen I would!"

"We're wasting time!"

"Then go on ahead! Get your pedigree ass out of here and head down east!"

The sudden silence felt heavy. Sesshoumaru's intense aura washed over her and she could feel his anger, she felt the threat. The Inu Taiyoukai's aura overpowered hers before she could even retaliate - and she was being reminded of Sesshoumaru's power. It was unmatched, and she knew that - in a fair fight he'd kill her in a blink of an eye, but this was something she needed to do! He'd have to deal with that!

"I'm not an emotionless youkai like you, Sesshoumaru..." She murmured quietly.

"I can't ignore the suffering of others and move on knowing they'll continue to suffer, not if I can do something about it...I won't! Now that I know some of what they went through before their deaths...I..."

Silence. Again.

"You have till tomorrow morning to finish that task!"

She caught the rustle of silken clothes and knew he was leaving.

Oh, she had till morning? Why that arrogant, bossy, stone-hearted... She had till morning!?

Her jaw clenched - and before she could register what happened, she heard the sound of something soggy hitting something. Or someone. She blinked and looked at the hand where the washing-sponge had been, then quickly, instinctively ducked under water and thus escaping the acid whip that snapped in the air where her head had just been. Oops.

~~~O~~~


	16. Conversations and Reactions

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

~~~O~~~

 **A.N.: Soooo much have happened in the past months, I apologize to you all for not updating more often. Life's hectic. Work, new romance, child, parents, siblings, friends, ex-fiance, new romance not working out... Everything has to be dealt with accordingly, and it's not always enough hours within a day to sit down and write. I do type up ideas, and try putting together a decent chapter when I have the opportunity to do so. Thank you for reading! :)**

 **\- Noctus**

* * *

 **CHAPTER SIXTEEN - CONVERSATIONS AND REACTIONS**

* * *

With the Northern Mountains behind them, and the whole day ahead of them, they set out towards the Eastern Lands.

Tsuren was chatting merrily with Kishino while being seated ontop of said darkclad warrior-priest's shoulders. Little hands gripped the ink black hair securely to steady himself, and Kishino didn't even flinch -not even when the little boy tugged on the strands.

Sesshoumaru reluctantly admired the human for her patience and resilience. Most females he knew of would whine and cringe when their hair was tugged and pulled at. Kishino was definitely not like other females, though.

There was a tense silence between the adult travellers,but the child didn't mind it too much having gotten somewhat used to how these two acted around eachother. Cat and Dog. Didn't always go hand in hand. He was well pleased with his personal term for these two, and often amused himself imagining them as the animals during the long days on the road.

"What you did for the deceased..." Sesshoumaru's voice startled both Kishino and Tsuren, and both glanced over at the stoic youkai who had broken the silence.

"You gave them peace. This Sesshoumaru sensed the relief filling the castle."

Kishino's blue eyes twinkled slightly before regaining their calculative stare. She then shrugged her shoulders (which caused Tsuren to giggle) and cast her glance down to the ground they were walking on.

"It's what I do."

Golden eyes rested on her form for a brief second as they walked, then turned back to the horizon ahead of them.

"This One will not object next time, if it is necessary for you to repeat it."

Another tense silence fell upon them, not even Tsuren dared break it. The child sensed the underlying storm and instead gave a large silent yawn before sliding his legs off Kishino's shoulders, slid down her back and into the waiting cocoon of the haori sling. Let adults be adults - adults were strange, he hoped he would one day understand them.

* * *

"Ok, so what's bothering you, Sesshoumaru?" Kishino finally broke the tense silence between them. They'd been walking for hours without words being exchanged. Tsuren was still sleeping against her back in his sling, hence giving the adults room for conversation, however strained it might be.

"This One is not bothered by anything, Hito!" His bored tone only convinced the human that something was, indeed, bothering him.

"Look, if it is about me catching you staring at my rear..." A cheeky smirk flashed across the seemingly young human male's face.

"This Sesshoumaru was not staring!"

Oh, hit the nerve! Kishino cast a sideways glance at her travelling companion. She'd been joking, but...

"Whatever, Sesshoumaru. I just thought I'd let you know I'm not gonna tell anyone you did..." she pushed the subject a little further.

"You think too highly of yourself, human!" Was the Lord's ice cold reply. It had a final tone to it, he meant to close the conversation down with it - but Kishino wasn't about to let him have it that easily.

"Hn." She scoffed.

"Hn?" His glare burned into the side of her face.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru: HN!"

In her mind she was grinning like mad. The golden eyes were dangerously narrowed, an underlying threat gleaming within their depths. It was almost fun, in a twisted way, knowing that she could tick him off. HIM, the great Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands, he who had an iron-grasp on his icy emotions.

"Why are you so weird about it anyway?" She arched an eyebrow at him, not letting his threatening glare get to her.

"You're centuries old, surely you've seen your share of naked flesh - human as well as youkai..."

"You are different." The reluctance to speak to her was clear. Kishino was having a blast!

"How?" She inquired, and noticed through the corner of her eye how his eyebrow twitched ever so slightly. Getting there.

"You were the half-breed's wench..."

Kishino heaved a heavy sigh then, and shook her head. Why would some _still_ refer to her as Inuyasha's wench?!

"I was never his, you know...And he was for sure never mine. I belonged to no one but myself, and I still don't! I am my own person."

"Hit a nerve, did I, human?"

She blinked slowly. Oh, that sly dog! He'd guessed her game, huh?

"It matters not. However, you are This Sesshoumaru's ally..."

"The flesh of an ally shouldn't be enough to throw you off your beat."

"As the Shikon Miko..." He ignored her statement, trying to get his point through to her.

"The Shikon MIko is a facade! A ghost of the past! No matter what title you give me, it won't change the fact that I'm no longer what everyone remember me as!"

Sesshoumaru felt the rising urge to shed blood as she kept interrupting him - a sharp warning growl from the human next to him drew his eyes once again to her - and he realized he'd subconsciously grabbed her arm.

"If you break it, you fix it, youkai!" Kishino hissed through clenched teeth, and the Inu Taiyoukai sneered, withdrawing his hand from the arm. His claws were painted red - he'd drawn blood, which made him frown.

"This Sesshoumaru will not endure your disrespectful presence..." and with those words as adieu, he summoned his light orb and disappeared from the scene, leaving a rather perplexed Kishino behind.

"Oh, he wouldn't endure my presence any longer...?" She mimicked his tone while the corner of her lip curled up in a sarcastic smirk.

"Drama King. I wondered how long it'd take..." She shifted her haori slightly, reaching her uninjured arm behind her to gently pat Tsuren who rested in the safe nest on her back.

"I owe you some fish, sweetie, his patience lasted longer than I imagined..."

* * *

"Papa, why do you tease Sesshoumaru-sama?" Tsuren nibbled on sweet dried berries Kishino always carried with her for their travels.

Evening had fallen and they had set up camp. They'd seen no trace of their Inu companion since he'd abruptly left, and Kishino had not sensed him nearby.

"Excellent question, Tsuren." She replied calmly, pondering the same herself.

"I believe I actually enjoy seeing his stoic mask crack - to see that there is an actual person underneath." She replied and stirred the embers with a stick before placing a couple of logs on it to keep the fire from dying.

"Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't like that, though..."

"Nope, that he does not, little one...I don't believe he's had someone talk back to him like I do, not in a very long time at least...I don't know enough about his past to say he's not had anyone, ever, talk back to him..." She sighed then.

Yes, she knew she pushed Sesshoumaru dangerously close to snapping with her teasing - perhaps she had missed adult company during travels more than she'd first believed. That was a disturbing realization.

"Inuyasha and I would always banter back and forth...tease, name-calling, shoving..." her shoulders slumped slightly and she shook her head.

"But he is not like his brother, at all..."

A deep frown marred her brows as she spoke those last words. That was no way to treat an ally, now was it? Ugh, she hated it when her mind started catching on to the wisdom of hindsight, forcing her to re-evaluate her own words and behaviour. Sesshoumaru was nothing like Inuyasha - yet she tried coaxing him into banter as if he was.

"Lesson learned, I guess..." her voice deeper than normal, as it tended to be when she was thinking deeply. Tsuren recognized this and shuffled closer, leaning his head against her thigh. Her hand absently, but affectionately, petted the soft white hair on his head, a tender smile finding its way to her lips.

She watched the fire lick at the wood she'd recently put on the embers and leaned sideways to grab her haori. It was getting late, and her sealcub was hanging on to awareness by pure stubbornness. Ignoring his little whines of protest she wrapped the garment around his form and picked him up, hearing him giggle as she playfully tickled him through the haori. He curled up into her haori to sleep and as she cradled him against her chest she suddenly felt overwhelmed by guilt for dragging him along on this mission... This kind of travel was dangerous. Not that they hadn't faced dangerous times in the past, but this...it felt different this time...

After a few minutes she felt something outside her barriers. Through the corner of her right eye she saw a white figure approaching - so he'd returned.

Huh, she was surprised... She had honestly started to believe he'd ditched them and gone off on his own instead. She would not have put that past him... However. There was something not right with the presence of the approaching Inu... There was something else...behind him.

Kishino reacted fast. The child placed down securely on the ground, then:

The arrow whistled past his cheek, the purifying energy surrounding it tickled his pristine skin. He didn't even lean aside to avoid it as it strangely enough did not feel hostile towards HIS person, nor did it burn him. This was a level of control he had not yet seen from someone possessing reiki, but he had no time to ponder it further...

"YOU!?" A loud shriek cut the air before it died out.

A burst of reiki which exploded behind him made Sesshoumaru bristle and spin around on his heel to catch the briefest of glimpses of an Eagle youkai before it dissolved into glittering dust. His golden orbs dilated ever so slightly. He had not sensed its presence! He was an Inu Taiyoukai, and prided himself on his keen senses and superior sense of smell - but this... He had to admit he was somewhat stumped.

"How!" He turned his molten gaze to the blackclad Warrior-Priest, who still held the short bow in firing position.

Dark blue eyes met his, and an opening appeared in the tightly woven barriers that protected the campsite. Sesshoumaru stepped through and the barriers sealed shut behind him.

"Their auras and presence cannot be sensed by other youkai. It doesn't matter how keen your senses are, Sesshoumaru. You'd have had that youkai's dagger through your heart before you could wrap your mind around what was going on..."

Sesshoumaru's brows drew together in a visible frown.

"You seem familiar with them."

"Yeah. Eagles of this particular Clan murdered my ward's parents. They have been known enemies to the Seal Youkai for as long as even the elders can remember...now they seem to have travelled inland..." Kishino's brows also furrowed, then she continued:

"It did not expect me to be here, my barriers prevent strangers from detecting me and my ward, so it's attention was on you alone and HAD it known I was here, it still wouldn't have expected that I'd have your back..."

Silence.

Kishino could sense Sesshoumaru's brewing questions. He had questions he wanted answered, sooner rather than later, but for now she'd have to postpone answering. She only offered him a quick glance then went back to staring at the fire. Whatever questions he had would have to wait.

* * *

He'd located them in a small clearing surrounded by several large boulders.

Sesshoumaru had watched in silence while Kishino sorted out food for herself and Tsuren. He'd recognized the sensation of aura-repressing magic, and knew that she shielded them from view and from keen senses, meaning that her protective barriers were being woven. He entertained himself, in silence, by trying to recognize the magic she used in her barrier. She hid their auras, their scent, their sound - the normal wards for when one did not wish to be discovered by others - and they were strong. Effective. The fourth one she cast had him puzzled. It didn't feel repressive or protective. It was only soothing.

He watched them eat, saw their lips move as they conversed, but he could not hear them through her barriers.

He had left them behind in his ire, annoyed beyond his own comprehension, all thanks to her. Her relentless teasing had pushed him close to his limit of what he could tolerate from a lesser being, and since he had no real wish of decapitating her he'd taken his leave - which he decided was the best way to make a statement. Once he had calmed down, he'd been disgusted to find amusement take the place of indignation and anger. No one had ever gotten away with their lives talking to him in such a manner - yet SHE amused him!

Sesshoumaru had then transformed to his great Inu form, and he had hunted to sate his need for bloodshed. Still, when he had eaten and turned back into his humanoid youkai form, he still found himself greatly amused. And that annoyed him. It made him angry! No one amused him! Lesser beings weren't worth enough attention to get the chance to...make him feel anything. At all.

And now he was back at her camp, an eagle youkai had just been disintegrated a few feet behind him, and she was offering him a share of two big rabbits and one medium sized fish. He declined with a small incline of his head as he had fed already.

"We need to talk." He heard her say when he gracefully sat down on the opposite side of the fire from her.

"About the Eagle Youkais." He more stated than asked, but she hook her head.

"About you and me and how to keep the peace for the remaining journey."

"Hn. This Sesshoumaru thinks no changes are needed." He inwardly smirked when her face went blank. Oh, she had not seen that one coming?

Kishino's mind had, just like her face, gone blank. She had prepared a damn good speech, and he'd ruined it! Just like that! Just as she got around to kickstart her brain, opening her mouth to speak, the youkai lord proceeded to intercept her words, but she listened instead of interrupting this time.

"Back at the Western Castle, you made a valid point. If your lifespan matches a youkai's, then you should not be under anyone's thumb or heel - you are This One's ally, and we have been acquainted for several decades despite your disappearance and absence..."

"Oh. Um...I was going to apologize, really. I might have been out of line." Kishino had to get that off her chest, at least.

"You were." Sesshoumaru turned his head slightly, but watched her through the corner of his eye.

"Though it infuriates This Sesshoumaru that you have such blatant disregard for This One's title and superiority, your strange mannerisms, way with words and lack of modesty - This One has to admit, it is amusing to have a sparring-partner in wits and banter. Had you been a male, truly, This One might have considered you a friend."

Kishino blinked, again, before smirking widely - perfect teeth glinting in the flickering light from the fire.

"You just used the 'F' word!"

When he didn't catch on to her use of words, she snickered quietly.

"I'm your friend, just admit it and be done with it..."

He watched her as she flicked her brows, and he inwardly wondered if this was such a good idea after all, but fair enough...

"This Sesshoumaru finds that it would be more beneficial to keep you as a friend than fight you as an enemy."

* * *

"Papa! Papa! The rain is chasing me!" Tsuren squealed with delight as the wall of rain approached the travelling trio.

The seal youkai child had been running around and spending his pent up energy much to his protector's entertainment. There had been many hours where he had kept inside the haori, resting against her back. He was a youkai child and staying still for so long meant lots and lots of energy just needing to be released. And Tsuren delivered. He climbed, ran, bounced, jumped, twirled and danced around, his words flowing so fast he often got his tongue in a twist.

Kishino's stormy blue eyes glanced ahead to where Tsuren was calling from, and true enough, the child was running towards them, with the rain following shortly after. A literal wall of rain. The air had been humid all morning, the scent of rain was all around them, even her human nose could pick it up.

"Hm..." said human adult sighed and stopped walking, and it was very apparent that she was bracing herself by the way she placed her feet and the slight shift in body-posture. The Inu Youkai merely gave her a bored, but questioning glance - the wordless question soon answered itself as Tsuren rammed himself into Kishino full-body, arms wrapping around her blackclad figure.

Kishino merely grunted softly, a gentle smile on her lips. Her hand quickly ran over the cotton soft white hair of the child before she swept him up and around to her back, covering him with her haori. The next second the rain was upon them. Kishino blinked against the merciless drops of water, and looked to Sesshoumaru - only to find the water barely touching his pristine figure.

"How..." she grit out, and for a split second she could swear the corner of his lip tugged upwards one tenth of an inch!

"Aren't you well versed in the world of spells and charms, Kishino? Even lesser youkai know to shield themselves from rain when travelling on the road."

She pulled a face at him, stray strands of hair already clinging to her face, water dripping from her chin and nose. She hadn't thought of that, actually. Normally she and Tsuren would've found shelter before this kind of rain fell upon them. Sure their clothes were enhanced with her reiki to prevent cold and overheating, but they weren't water-proof!

She reached out with her senses and prodded the charm or spell or whatever Sesshoumaru had used to remain dry in the rain, and tilted her head slightly - she recognized the method: there was a thin barrier woven from the Taiyoukai's youki to cover his entire outline, clothes and all. A water-repelling spell.

"Clever." she sighed, then redirected her footsteps and headed over to the nearest and biggest tree she could spot through the downpour.

"We are not stopping, Hito!" Sesshoumaru's warning voice cut through the sounds of falling water.

"Yes, we are!" She retorted brightly, just to annoy him.

"I am not keen on getting pneumonia right now, so we are stopping!"

"Are not your clothes enchanted to prevent...?"

"No! They are not...I thought that would be obvious by now..." the dark muttering of the human interrupted the almost-smug Inu Youkai.

"We can keep travelling for a bit longer!"

"No, we can not! I'm already soaked and in need of a change of clothes, let's set up a small camp, get a fire going, and get you dried up as well!"

"This Sesshoumaru is not touched by the water."

Kishino placed the haori-cocoon down by the base of the tree and shifted her weapons off and onto the ground as well. Tsuren's little face popped out between the safe folds of the haori, blinking his big brown eyes at the rain. After casting a barrier above hers and Tsuren's heads like a roof to keep the area dry, she turned to the stubborn dog who still stood in the middle of the well travelled road.

"I beg to differ." She flared her reiki and the barrier Sesshoumaru had cast shattered as it was not a strong spell meant to withstand outside attacks, and the normally pristine creature was more or less instantly drenched.

"Oh, no... You're wet! Let's all sit down until this rain passes, ne?" Kishino chirped with good-natured malice laced in her voice, and the Taiyoukai's eyebrow twitched. She had dared what none other dared...to interfere with his personal barriers!

Sesshoumaru's claws flexed dangerously when the water started seeping through the silken fabric of his clothes. She had dared... He kept from sneering, somehow managing to keep his stoic mask intact. He watched her pull dry wood from one of her satchels and collect other branches and twigs from around the tree. How did she fit these things in those satchels?

She wasn't going to budge in her decision, he realized. He should leave. This was becoming a nuisance!

Yet he found himself trekking in under the roof-like barrier under the tree, and he positioned himself by the base of said tree, next to the sealcub - finding a small sense of relief that he wasn't the only youkai having to deal with this human.

"Human, what are you doing!?"

"Changing clothes!" Kishino had pulled the turtleneck jumper over her head and was now hanging it over one of the lower hanging branches just abve their heads.

"Relax, Sesshoumaru, I am covered..." She rolled her eyes. She rolled her bare shoulders, patting her hands down the flat front of her torso where both the black linens and leather armour covered the length over her upper body. Only her shoulders and arms were bare.

She kept her back to the indignated male, rolling her eyes mentally.

Deciding against mentally damaging the 'prude', she moved out of sight for the changing of the trousers, and once it was done, she walked back to the front of the tree.

"You have scars." It was a statement, not a question.

"Of course I do..." Kishino replied stoically, her voice flat. Him commenting on it meant he was looking. That felt a bit awkward... She rummaged through her satchel and fished out a dry, black, suikan and a grey sash.

"From claws."

"Yes, that would be natural..."

"Who caused them?"

"Sesshoumaru..." she sighed and turned her head to glare at him, only to blink confusedly when he was, in fact, standing right behind her. Again, she'd not even sensed him move.

"Who managed to get close enough to you to harm you?" He sounded genuinely curious, which was kind of disturbing...

"From what This One has seen so far, Kishino, you are not one to be taken by surprise..."

He turned her so her back was to him again. Lethal claws traced the top of her left shoulder, fingers following the four parallel scars that ran down to her shoulderblades, his hand stopped where the scars disappeared beneath her donned armour. He pressed his fingertips against the pale scars. They were old he deducted, but how old? And why had they marred her skin instead of healing?

He further pressed his fingers into her flesh, drawing blood now as he let his claws slice down the length of the scars that were visible. She merely shuddered, the only sign of discomfort from her. No scream, whimper, hiss or other vocalisations of pain. As soon as he'd sliced her skin open, it sealed again in a faint glow of pink reiki, the marks disappearing from her skin like he'd never cut into her.

He stared, while droplets of ruby red blood trickled from a wound that now didn't exist, down her shoulderblade and soak into the linen bindings beneath her armour. He looked at his claws. She had let him cut her. And he had willingly touched her. Disturbing.

She turned to face him then, and she caught his gaze. Stormy blue locked with molten amber.

"I have many scars, Sesshoumaru. The ones you just tried to reopen, are nineteen years old..."

The ravenhaired human's eyebrow twitched slightly as a frown marred the ethereal youkai's brows, so she raised a hand and placed an index finger between his eyebrows, and carefully pushed the crease up and smoothed it out.

"Don't do that, you look worried."

"A good leader worries for the safety of his underlings."

"Well, I am not your underling, so stop it! Plus, this was a long time ago!"

"Nineteen years..." Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed, and she blinked - what, what had she said this time?

"That means you were living with the seal youkai in their hidden underwater dens."

"Uh, yes." She tilted her head. What did that have to do with anything?

Sesshoumaru grabbed the wrist of her hand as her finger was still pointed at his forehead. He tightened his grip and pulled her closer.

"They hurt you." He nearly growled, and she cringed slightly at the mean gleam in his eyes.

"They did not!" She protested, and he sensed no deceit or lie in her aura, but he held firm - she was going to tell him!

"It was an accident!" She burst out, and now he sneered, unable to keep the mask up.

"Look, I walked in on something I shouldn't have walked in on, and didn't have the wits about me to get away fast enough...It was my own fault, and I learned from it. I've kept the scars to remind myself to always show caution when entering new and unknown territories, especially during...a certain time of the year..."

They stared at eachother, face to face as the Inu Youkai still held her by the wrist and had without either of their knowledge lifted her up the further along in her explanation she got.

"You walked in on a mating couple..." He stated, and she pulled a grimace, nodding her head. Sesshoumaru scoffed and gently put her back down, though neither of them moved.

"Seal youkai become very aggressive when in heat, and especially when they find a mate."

"And you spent ten years with them in their dens, remaining unmated..."

At that statement a rather rueful expression appeared on her face. At that point, he released her wrist and she quickly pulled it to her chest and rubbed the sore skin.

"Mated life is not for me, Sesshoumaru. Eternal life, forever young...yet human. No human man will be able to accept me, and youkai can't see past my humanity. I am more like a ghost, walking between the two species, two realms - unable to belong on either side."

She offered him a cold half-smile then, and shrugged.

"But you know what? It's fine by me...truly. Because I am me. I am no one's shadow. There's no one like me. I am myself completely, living by the choices I, myself, have made and decided upon! And it's a good life!"

She gave gave her words a few seconds to sink in, then continued, knowing he listened.

"The only one I might end up mating is my Clan's leader, if neither of us has found a suitable mate within ten years..."

"You'd settle with that?"

"Better than being alone for all eternity, I guess."

"Ten years, you say?"

"Yes."

"And how many years has it been since this promise was made?"

Oh, now she had to think. Uh... How many...oh sweet Kami...She quickly counted the seasons backwards, and brought a hand to her face.

"Eight."

"Hn."

Kishino's face scrunched up in yet another grimace before she pulled the dry suikan over her head and tied the sash around her waist. She hadn't kept track of the years in regards to that deal she'd made with Yolu. She really wasn't ready to settle down with a mate, even if it was one of he dearest friends. How could eight years have passed already?

* * *

"Alright, what's on your mind this time?"

It was disconserning how easily she picked up on when his thoughts wandered.

"This Sesshoumaru was merely trying to figure out what you are, precisely."

"And why does it matter to The Lord Sesshoumaru what this humble wandering warrior-priest is?"

That was what was, perhaps, most disconserning. He didn't know why it interested him to try and make sense of her existence - to pinpoint what she was, was she human, or something else now?

"Hn. Why, indeed." He replied shortly, and he heard her scoff.

"Spill it!"

"This Sesshoumaru does not spill."

"Oh for Kami's sake, Sesshoumaru, will you tell me?"

"The Kami's have nothing to do with This One."

"You're pulling my leg, aren't you?"

"Had This One been pulling your leg, you would have eaten the dirt upon which you currently stand."

Kishino stared at him with an unnervingly blank expression.

"This One wonders what..." he was interrupted by a ringing, clear sound of erupting chuckles eminating from the other adult, which quickly evolved into a rich laughter. It lasted for only a few seconds, but the mirth in her eyes remained even after she'd silenced herself.

"He really HAS a sense of humour!" She commented gleefully more to herself than anyone else.

Sesshoumaru fought back the smile on his lips. No one had laughed like that because of him before. He had caused that laughter. Why was he not annoyed? Why did he feel...amused?

Once she had calmed down, and they had eaten their meal, she approached him and slumped down next to him while stretching her arms over her head.

"Ahh, well this is one of the more chill evenings we've had, ne?"

"Chill?" He didn't find the air cold, nor was the slight draft of wind chilly. Perhaps it was one of her weird ways of phrasing...

"Relaxing..." She corrected herself and sat up, legs crossed indian style. Her elbows rested ontop of her knees and her chin found its place ontop of her intertwined fingers.

"So, as to the question of what I am..." She arched an eyebrow at his stoic, emotionless stare. She kept her stare until he heaved a soundless sigh.

"I can sit here all night, Sesshoumaru. Just talk to me, get it out of your system."

"This Sesshoumaru needs not speak to anyone."

"Hn. Perhaps I should read your mind then?"

"You will do no such thing!" The Inu Youkai's voice froze the air between them, and Kishino smirked wickedly in the back of her mind, but her face remained dead serious.

"I can't read minds, but it's nice to see you fear I can...that means other, less mighty youkai might believe the same - that's a good advantage, wouldn't you say?"

"This Sesshoumaru fears nothing!"

The sudden tension in the male's shoulders did ease up a little, and he closed his eyes. However, he felt her gaze on his person burn through his attempts of ignoring her. After a few minutes he felt her hand come to rest against his upper left arm and the gesture caused him to crack his eyes open to glance at her through the corner of his eye. Her face had gone solemn now, a softer expression flickering across her features.

"Not human - anymore, only in appearance. Not youkai - not by blood and definitely not by appearance."

She patted his arm and withdrew her hand, placing both in her lap while her eyes closed.

"I have driven myself to madness thinking about this in the past, Sesshoumaru. In the end, I settled for 'immortal' - it helped ease my mind. The purification of my human blood's mortality has left me on neutral grounds species-wise, I guess. I am of human heritage, yes, born a human, but human no longer. Immortal - that's the best I can come up with. Bokuseno-sama could not help me with my questions either."

"You have consulted the ancient tree?"

She nodded, keeping her gaze on him

"Don't look at me like that, Sesshoumaru, I swore him to secrecy; to not tell anyone of my living presence in this world."

"He recognized you." Statement, not a question.

"Can't really hide anything from him, now can you?" Rhetorical question in response to his statement.

"Hn."

They went silent for a good while after that. Sesshoumaru digested her words. Immortal. Hm.

* * *

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 **A.N.:** **A slow chapter, I apologize, but I thought I'd get this posted BEFORE Christmas attacks full force. Hopefully I'll manage to pack some more into the next chapter - but that'll have to wait till after Christmas. Too many things to plan at the moment, presents, family-time, decorating, how to divide me and my daughter's Christmas-time between my parents who recently divorced...Y'know...life and stuff gets in the way sometimes... Thank you all so much for reading!**

 **Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!**

 **Xx Noctus**


	17. Know your Allies

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

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 **A.N.: My goodness, you guys! Thank you all so much for the comments! 200+ comments! You all inspire me so much! Have a chapter seventeen before Christmas, what the 'eck! It's Christmas! XD Wooooooo!**

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* * *

 **CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - KNOW YOUR ALLIES**

* * *

 **~~~O~~~**

"When did you start calling yourself Kishino Hito?"

"When I first set foot on land after ten years."

"Hn, this is why This One finds no records of you before this..."

"What, you ran a background check on me?"

"This One does not simply accept someone into his circle of allies knowing absolutely nothing about them."

"Hm. That makes sense..."

"Of course it does."

Kishino scoffed at the nonchalant tone the other one used and leaned back against the tree she was currently resting against. She put her hands behind her head and let her eyes focus on nothing in particular.

"Who taught you how to be a man?"

Sesshoumaru really was in a curious mood tonight so she went along with it. It was kind of refreshening to interact and talk with the Lord like this anyway. Besides, the more questions he asked, the more insight she got on how his mind worked. Win win situations

"I taught myself..." She responded calmly, inhaling the fresh air deeply into her lungs.

"See, once I'd made the decision it was all up to practice, really. I practiced walking in a more masculine way, like I'd seen other males do, trying to copy and mimic different walks. Tsuren laughed at me the first three weeks, I probably looked ridiculous." She gave a breathless chuckle at the memories.

"I had to become VERY conscious about how I moved, all from that sway of the hips to how I tread down on the ground in each step, there's actually ALOT of technique in the whole heel-to-toe motion when you walk that I never realized before I began changing my own walk. I also had to be conscious of how I carried myself... After some time it felt more comfortable, and then I didn't need to focus as much as it felt natural...now I don't even think about it anymore."

"And the jaw thing you do?"

Kishino arched an eyebrow at the almost awkwardly curious Inu Taiyoukai, he was really digging for a bone here it seemed - but he only stared at her, speculatively. She could, figuratively speaking, see the mental notes being scribbled down as she revealed more and more.

She heaved a quick sigh then quickly angled her jaw, somehow managing to square the jawline and thus acquiring that more masculine facial structure.

"How did you learn that?"

Kagome rolled her jaw again and regained her more feminine traits and the Inu youkai, who was paying extremely close attention, could hear the small bony 'clicks'. Hm.

She proceeded to grin mischievously at the Taiyoukai, knowing he'd heard it. She was particularly proud of that little trick, it had taken a lot of time to master and perfect!

"Practice." She flicked her brows cheekily.

"That is a very unsatisfying answer, Hito." His eyes narrowed marginally as her cheshire-grin widened.

"It's the answer to your question, Sesshoumaru, what did you expect me to answer?"

"This One finds your nature and existence both highly unorthodox and unusual - it is natural to desire answers."

"Hn."

"Will you provide answers?"

"I will. If you provide answers when I ask you questions...later."

They stared at eachother across the fire, both trying to figure out what the other was really thinking. However, both were masters in hiding their thoughts and feelings behind masks of indifference, so they came to a draw in the unofficial staring contest - which did surprise her for his patience was far greater than her own.

And as they came to the silent draw Sesshoumaru inclined his head slightly - fair was fair.

"This One will provide answers as long as the questions are deigned worth an answer."

"I guess that'll have to do." Kishino let her eyes wander up to the sky, watching the stars twinkle on the dark dark blue evening sky, and for a good while they were both quiet. Kishino was actually about to doze off when she found herself dragged back into awareness by the stoic male.

"You hid your scent. Why? You hid your presence incredibly well also, you changed your aura, and the signature of your reiki. You've attained the ability to completely draw your aura into yourself and contain it behind a personal barrier..."

"You're on a roll..." She commented dryly, but shrugged her shoulders right after, trying to hide a yawn.

"It's quite simple, really. Changes had to be made in order to preserve the path I had chosen to walk."

Kishino tilted her head then and watched her travelling companion closely. He merely gave her a level stare and her shoulders rose up to her ears again before dropping.

"Would it have done anyone any good if any of you had caught a whiff of my scent, recognized it, and gone on a headless hunt to see if it truly could be me? Back then I was convinced it would rip up wounds and that I'd be shunned and turned away for it. Now that I've been proven otherwise it all feels kinda stupid..."

"This One highly doubts anyone would've turned you away, Kishino!"

"Yeah well...human minds tend to make up alternate endings to stories that aren't yet halfway done, overthinking and weaving their own conclusions before all the facts are on the table. I was no different, I will admit."

"Hn."

"You're not going to try to convince me otherwise? Wow..." Kishino snickered, not really bothered, it was just a friendly verbal shove.

"Who taught you to cover your feminine scent?"

"Man, I hate that word! 'Feminine scent'..." Kishino gave a mirthless chuckle, rubbing her right temple with the tips of her fingers.

"Bokuseno-sama taught me, told me what I'd need in order to suppress my scent."

Sesshoumaru nodded - yes, the old tree youkai knew much, he wasn't really surprised that he had taught her.

"So I went to him. After I swore him to secrecy about my identity, my life - to keep it hidden from all who had once known me - I asked him to teach me how to hide my true scent - because youkai don't just rely on appearances, scent is everything to some...especially those whose sense of smell is highly developed."

"This One shall admit he mistook you for male, so one could say you succeeded."

And though she was currently sitting down Kishino managed to perform an elegant bow with her torso, her hand flicking gracefully in Sesshoumaru's direction in a 'you're too kind' gesture.

"If I managed to evade your senses, Sesshoumaru, then I feel safe I've managed to evade all others as well. And though I would hate to add to your inflated ego, there are no one with a better sense of smell than yourself..."

"Hn. This One did not recognize your scent because it was hidden, but if one are close enough, and one knew you from before, then one can scent out the underlying natural fragrance."

"Well, like I said, you've got the superior nose."

The Inu Youkai was silent as he digested this new information. She was sincere, though annoyingly enough he had the feeling she didn't tell him everything - there was more to everything she told him, but he would let it slide for now.

"You have learned the trait of deceit very well..." he commented after some moments of silent thinking, and she snickered when she heard this. Had he not known what heritage she came from, he could've been convinced she was a cat right then.

"It's a deceitful world, with deceitful people in it, Sesshoumaru - you know this. I couldn't simply travel the lands, trying to fit in in an era not my own, and hope to survive without learning the art of deception."

"Would you deceive This Sesshoumaru?"

"No." The answer rang clear even before Sesshoumaru had completed the question.

"You reply confidently."

"I am confident in my ability to reply honestly, Sesshoumaru. And I swore my allegiance to you, didn't I? I did so with pride, and I spoke the truth and nothing but the truth when I swore this. Kishino Hito will always be true to you, his ally, his Lord."

Sesshoumaru was slightly impressed with that reply. But there was one detail he did note.

"Would the Shikon Miko deceive This One?" He wondered, since she had been very clear to state which of her names were his Ally.

Hadn't Inuyasha also reported something similar when he had offered to retrieve her to the Castle? Hadn't she said to Inuyasha that only Kishino Hito had sworn to be his ally? Was she showing two faces?

The ravenhaired human's eyes flashed quickly with surprise, not having expected that question, and the Taiyoukai found this to be one of the more important questions to have answered.

"The Shikon Miko doesn't exi..."

"Do NOT evade this question! Would the Shikon Miko deceive This One?"

Her eyes shifted, and looked away from him while her brows furrowed slightly. Her reaction really did make him wonder; did she not know if she could answer him honestly, or did she genuinely not like being reminded that she was the Shikon Miko? In a flash he crouched infront of her, his golden eyes pierced her, and his aura and presence demanded eyecontact. Reluctantly her eyes shifted back to him. No human could lie when looked in the eye - they were too emotional, and so...their eyes always would always betray them.

"Would Kagome deceive me?" he managed to hold back the growl that wanted to come out, but it left his voice slightly raspy.

Her breath shivered and she tried to move her head to the side to break eyecontact, but he released his dominating aura and she could not move. So, now he'd learned that hearing her original name affected her in one way or another. Information stored for later.

"Kagome..." She began, then did a slight roll of the neck which spoke numbers of how uncomfortable she was right then. He kept his hard gaze on her and he could see her mind reeling.

"No...Kagome would not deceive you..." She muttered, finally, providing the answer he sought. And again, she was sincere - she even had the audacity to shove his shoulder with one hand - which didn't do much in terms of making him move, but A for effort.

"I wish to put Kagome and the Shikon Miko behind me, Sesshoumaru - there is no place for them here anymore. I'm not that person anymore!"

"This One will respect that, Kishino..."

 _For now..._ he thought to himself.

Sesshoumaru stood up and he moved to sit by one of the large boulders. Her barriers were up, so he could rest - a luxury he rarely could afford. Kishino remained by the fire, keeping watch over the embers so they didn't die out. Both were lost in thought until sleep claimed them. While he was content to have new information on this illusive character, she was disturbed at how much she'd allowed him to learn.

* * *

The next day proceeded in content silence and strangely enough there was no awkward air between the adults - so Tsuren was happy and was off to explore what he could as long as he stayed within viewing distance of Kishino.

"Hey Sesshoumaru..."

The Inu Youkai didn't turn his head, but she knew she had his attention by the slight shift in his eyes.

"Why did you make Shippou your Heir instead of finding a suitable mate and gaining an Heir through that union?"

The Taiyoukai stopped in his tracks, and Kishino didn't notice before she'd gone a couple of steps further. Not seeing him next to her made her stop, and she turned her head to look back at him. When she arched an eyebrow, he began walking again, and they settled into their normal pace. Oh, he had to STOP to think about how to answer? She pondered this until he finally spoke.

"A mate is, for most youkai, a lifelong commitment. If one does not make the eternal bond with the right one..." he left i hanging there to see if she caught on - and she did.

"...Ah."

"Hn."

"Hm. So there is no way to get out of a mating bond once it's done? Like a divorce or something?"

"Death."

"Ah..."

"Do not mistake a youkai mating to be equal to a human marriage. In a ceremony one bind ones blood, spirit, youki and soul to the chosen mate - breaking those bindings will kill either yourself, or the mate. Humans merely need a blessing from a holy person and a signed parchment."

"What if one break the mating-bindings one by one, and not all at once? Kinda...take a break between?"

"Breaking just one binding will hurt oneself so greatly that it may take many years to recover from it - some may never recover or be the same again. From what This One has heard and learned of from scrolls, it's not a pain one wishes to go through more than once. One cannot simply undo a merging of the soul and spirit."

"So it has been done...since it's mentioned in scrolls?"

"Hn. Why the interest, Kishino?"

"Well, there's the deal between Yolu and me. I was just curious, I guess. In case he, one day, wanted to be free of his commitment to me I guess."

"This Sesshoumaru has read about the elusive seals. This One's Father wrote a few scrolls on encounters he had had with them over his years of ruling - from before This One's time. Seals don't just take one mate, Kishino, seal youkai..."

"Are polyamorous, yes...I know this."

"Hn. You'd settle for being one of many?"

Her shoulders rose in a shrug.

"Beats being alone for eternity, doesn't it? I mean, I wouldn't be staying with the seals all the time after mating, I'd go crazy! I enjoy travelling far too much, and I can't possibly live the rest of my life in those dens, away from the fresh air up here, or the change of the seasons, wind and rain, sunshine and snow... When it all comes down to it it's just going to be nice to...have someone to return home to."

They fell silent, and Kishino chewed on her own words. Would she really go through with the deal with Yolu? After a decade of travelling across the lands and living by her own rules and choices - could she tie herself to someone who couldn't share her love for the land?

The mountain landscape slowly changed and evening was once again upon them. Kishino felt relieved. Evenings meant rest, and interesting conversations.

Sesshoumaru did not look at her as they continued their walk in comfortable silence. How odd it seemed that she, who had once radiated love and wished for nothing more than someone to love her for who she was, and not for someone she'd been in a previous life, or for her powers, would settle for 'someone to come home to'. It was strange, he found - and somewhat disturbing - that that idea didn't sit well with him. Clearly she had a greater future than that in store...

They found a quiet meadow where they sat down, Tsuren had spent his energy and Kishino fed him some berries and handed him a slice of dried fish which he happily gnawed on while taking Kishino's haori with him to curl up behind his protector's back. Kishino turned her head to look at the child, grinned, then turned her attention back to the stoic Lord.

"Hey...can I ask you something?"

"This Sesshoumaru believe you just did." He didn't look at her, his gaze wandered across the nearby landscape - she knew he was scouting, but she also knew his hearing was all hers.

"Ha ha. So funny. I mean it, can I?"

She heard him sigh, and she sensed the faint nod more than saw it, and she cleared her throat.

"Why do you refer to yourself as 'this one' and 'this Sesshoumaru'?"

His gaze revealed his surprise, a slight widening of the eyes which was gone in a heartbeat.

"Because This One prefers it."

"Well, isn't it easier to just say 'I' or 'me'?"

"Hn."

Kishino groaned quietly, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"Are there other versions of you that I don't know of?"

"Hn."

"Sesshoumaru! ' _Hn_ ' is not an answer!"

She glared at him, and he stared back at her, stoically. After a full minute of silent staring, the blackclad figure gave up and crossed her arms over her chest, slumping unceremoniously over onto her side from her sitting position with the intention of sleeping. Humph.

"There is This One. This Sesshoumaru. Then there is the youkai beast. And the Inu." Minutes had passed when he finally answered.

"Hm?" She wasn't sure if it was part of REM or if he'd actually spoken.

"This One does not repeat himself."

"No need, Sesshoumaru. I got it. Night."

"Hn."

She smiled tiredly, at least he'd answered and shed SOME light to her question. She knew what he meant, though. She'd spent enough time around youkai to know about the beasts, and their animal forms. It'd just been nice to hear him explain it.

* * *

The wind rustled across the grass. Though there were no clouds in the sky the atmosphere was heavy.

Sesshoumaru and Kishino were sitting on top of a hill looking down at a village near a dense forest, this hilltop gave them a good and wide view of the landscape nearby. They were nearing the Eastern Lands - finally. They would've reached the Eastern Lord two days ago, but they had had to make a quick detour to the Western Coast. Which is why the atmosphere was so heavy at the moment. Neither spoke - Sesshoumaru wasn't complaining about the peace and quiet, and he respected Kishino enough to allow her to mull over the past few days in peace.

The Inu Youkai could see how she struggled with the decision she had made, but he knew it had been for the best. She had chosen to leave her cub behind with the seal youkai clan - and she was highly conflicted about it.

 _ **FLASHBACK ~**_

 _Another Eagle Youkai had attacked them - swooped down from nowhere, not even Kishino with her highly tuned youkai-detecting senses had managed to foresee it. From the sky it had dropped on the unsuspecting travelling group - its talons had torn into the priest's shoulders, shredded the flesh and sent him stumbling while blood gushed from the deep gashes. The haori had been the target, that became clear when the Eagle snatched it from the injured priest's back. The Seal Cub had screamed in terror when he realized what was happening, and the sound damaged Kishino more than any physical wound._

 _Biting back the burning pain in her arms, Kishino had reached for her small bow. Sesshoumaru was way ahead of her, rushing at the unwelcome avian youkai with his sword drawn. The bird was agile, but no one possessed grace and agility like the Aristocrat Assassin! Tsuren's cries grew weaker, calling to Kishino's heart in a whole new way, giving her strength to draw back the string on her bow, focus her reiki for one purpose only, and take aim. As her arrow flew, Sesshoumaru had merged his own attack with hers and their joined abilities had disposed of the Eagle completely._

 _Despite her discomfort Kishino had caught her little seal cub in her arms before he could hit the ground. Tears streaked her bloodspattered face as she'd looked him over. The talons had nearly destroyed his little body. No wonder he had cried out. The scent of the seal's blood worried even Sesshoumaru - the child wasn't his responsibility, but he was still a part of this temporary travelling pack. Kishino managed to gather her wits before she was completely overtaken by her emotions and helpless apathy - and she'd managed to heal her little sealcub and bring him back to full health. It took its toll on herself, but she refused to rest or to tend to her own wounds before she could be sure that her child was going to be alright._

 _Sesshoumaru had stood by, watching them and keeping watch. Kishino was in no state to focus on more than the cub and herself - so he would protect them until they were ready to go again. Her own bloodloss had worried him slightly, but he'd trusted she knew how to tend to herself before she passed out - but to all luck the wounds she'd gained seemed to have stopped bleeding. So, moving from the area they'd camped a little further down the road, away from the attack-scene - Kishino had started looking rough so they'd set camp early and Sesshoumaru had chosen to hunt for them this day. He'd left the camp after ordering her to patch herself up._

 _When the Inu Taiyoukai had returned to camp some minutes later he'd found the young warrior sitting with the cub in her lap, her jumper had come off and her injured shoulders were being tended to. His sensitive nose had caught the scent of herbs, stinging his nostrils with their intense odour. Disinfectant, she had called it. Prevents infection. She had tried to heal them, but she couldn't focus. So she'd come up with this until she could draw enough focus to properly heal herself - she'd called it the 'old-fashioned' way - her words - he had not heard that phrasing before._

 _With thin clean tendons and a bone needle from a small box she had in her satchel she roughly sutured the cuts on each shoulder. Ambidextrous, he'd noted, for she used each hand without trouble. Another self-taught feature? Sesshoumaru had gotten a glimpse of what her life had been like these past ten years, then. This was someone who was used to looking after herself and to have no help offered to her. She'd never asked him for assistance or help - even the linen bandages were donned around and across her shoulders and neck without his help. She had survived ten years with no one but herself to rely on - the cub did not count due to his young age - every injury she'd attained over the years had been a valuable lesson; and she'd learned them well. Sesshoumaru had felt a reluctant spark of renewed respect for this lonely figure. Truly not like any other females of this Era._

 _They'd eaten Seshoumaru's kill in silence. Tsuren was quiet and clinging to his protector so tightly it seemed as if he tried to become a permanent part of her. Kishino's thoughts had been racing as she'd petted her ward's head reassuringly - Sesshoumaru saw it in the shifting eyes, flashes of guilt and fear shining in those normally calm and collected orbs - though human no longer, her heritage was shown clearly now, along with a faint reflection of the girl she'd once been. She'd felt. She'd felt so many things that day that not even her stoic mask could hide it - even though she tried for the cub's sake to keep a brave face._

 _The Lord of the West had been able to read her like a book right then. Every crumbling page._

 _Though none of them spoke that evening, silent decisions were made. A glance from her; the look in her eyes changing from pain to determination, and acceptance from him in return made no words necessary._

 _So, the morning after, despite the boy's protests, Kishino and Sesshoumaru had made a detour on their way to the Eastern lands. It had been a detour neither of them had wished to make, time was pressing them. They had taken the boy to the Western shores for Kishino knew she could no longer take him with her, not with those Eagles targeting them deliberately. Targeting her was one thing, she was their enemy, Sesshoumaru was another...but the cub?! She was not going to jeopardize him just because of this mission. She'd go the rest of the distance alone, knowing he'd be safe with his kind..._

 _She had waded into the shallows and flared her powers, tendrils of her reiki shot through the liquid and into the deep. Sesshoumaru could see them reach deep into the dark waters, the shimmering pale pink was unmistakably hers. Her signature. She was calling someone._

 _Then they had waited. The minutes had dragged on, and he'd felt compelled at one point to suggest they'd leave the cub at the Western Castle instead - but then a large seal bull had swam towards them, his aura strong and imposing, and as he'd neared the shallows he took on his humanoid form. Yolu._

 _The great seal youkai noticed the companion which Kishino had brought, and though none had before met the other, Yolu knew his Lord when he saw him. With a bow of respect he'd greeted the Inu Taiyoukai, whom in return inclined his head in greeting. Kishino wasn't as traditional and flung herself and Tsuren at the grand male seal youkai. While Yolu held her she quickly gasped out what had happened - and never had a seal looked as lethal as Yolu right then. Tsuren was a valued pack-cub! Those eagles..._

 _Kishino and Tsuren hugged eachother so tightly they left bruises on the other's skin - then, reluctantly, she handed the child over to the adult seal. Her broken sob faded in the wake of the cub's wailing cries. He wanted to go with his mother!_

 _"Look after him, Yolu!" She had begged the large male who held the protesting boy in his strong arms._

 _"Take him down into the dens where the Eagles can't reach him...I will come for him."_

 _She'd tried to console her little boy, who was frightened of being left behind. She cooed and shushed him gently, promising she'd be fine while running her fingers through his hair. She would return for him as soon as this mission was over. She swore on her immortal soul._

 _Yolu had disappeared into the dark waters with the little seal not long after the tearful goodbyes, and Kishino had stared after them for a long time. In the end Sesshoumaru had had to drag her with him away from the beach. They could not waste more time..._

 _ **~ END FLASHBACK**_

Now she was coming to terms with her decision to leave her cub with her clan. It was hard, because she'd travelled with him for so long. It was almost like a piece of her was missing...

"Kishino!" Sesshoumaru's stern voice snapped her from her troubled thoughts and she noticed the discrete shift of his eyes. Someone was coming.

Quickly and unnoticeably she angled her jaw and her eyes narrowed. Back straightened, the grip her arms had on her knees loosened and she fluidly changed into a nonchalant pose where one arm rested above a bent knee, the other leg stretched out infront of her, and she rested her weight on her other arm - somehow managing it without cringing. The emotions that had swirled in her eyes were suddenly gone and her mask had fallen back into place, as had Sesshoumaru's.

"Ne, Sesshoumaru-sama, seems like a welcome party..." her voice had dropped several octaves, and Sesshoumaru marvelled at the quick change for a split second before he nodded his head slightly.

"Hn."

"Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands." The three tanuki guards greeted with deep bows at the Taiyoukai.

Kishino didn't even bother arching an eyebrow. She was quite used to being ignored, especially by those who did not know her...to them she was just a human man, nothing else, nothing to pay attention to, right? This did, of course, work in her favour, as she was given time to study the new arrivals while their attention was solely on the Lord of the West.

The three guards looked to be well-armoured, battle-ready almost - which struck her as odd. The colours they flagged were of the Eastern Lord, but...Their auras were peculiar - she couldn't quite put her finger on it, but her suspicion was awakened.

"The Lord of the East sent you?" Kishino inquired, thus drawing the attention of the three males. The three stopped trying to make conversation with the arrogant Inu Lord and set their dark gazes on Kishino instead. Yay, attention...

"You dare speak in the place of Lord Sesshoumaru?!" One of the tanuki snarled at her, and she arched an eyebrow at the flickering aura. Agitation created cracks in whatever charm they'd used to affect their true auras.

"I dare. And I asked you a question, youkai. You do wise in providing an answer, I do not find myself in a mood to play games today."

"Hn. Indeed. You would do best in not provoking Hito-sama and answer him."

Sesshoumaru had risen from his seated position and stood every bit as regal as one could imagine in front of the three guards. Kishino rose swiftly as well, ignoring the dull ache in her shoulders. She was a 'man' now, suck it up! The warrior-priest stood next to the Western Lord, regarding the three guards with a cold gaze. They clearly fidgeted now, they had not expected the Lord himself to allow the human to take the lead.

"Well, you seem to know the Lord of the Western Lands. I am Kishino Hito - the warrior-priest sent by the recently returned Shikon Miko to investigate the poisonings."

The guards exchanged looks. They had been ordered to fetch the Lord - not this human...

"The Lord of the East awaits your arrival...we shall take you to him." The second guard faked a respectful bow, but one could see his distaste for the gesture in the strain on his facial expression.

As the guards turned and began to walk, Kishino and Sesshoumaru did a rare exchange of looks between themselves. Something was not right. The guards assumed they would follow them. That was cocky...

"The Eastern Lord does not have tanuki in his service..." Kishino whispered under her breath, and Sesshoumaru sneered openly, flexing his fingers as lethal poison began dripping from his claws.

"That, he does not."

~~~O~~~

* * *

A.N.: **What will they do? What will happen next? Who are these 'guards'? Will they reach the Eastern Castle soon? What awaits them in the Eastern Castle? What's with the Eagles? If you guys have any pointers, do share - I've no idea XD *snicker* chapter 18 has been started, but... I'll postpone it till 2018.**


	18. Of Lords and Others

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

~~~O~~~

 **A.N.: I'm getting there! XD I take all your comments into consideration when I type up my chapters, and sometimes I pick up a keyword or two that I use and work with as I go ;) I know I am taking an awfully long time to make things 'happen', and I know some might be waiting for 'something' *over-exaggerated wink* but there are so many paths this story can choose to walk! And with my speed in terms of moving things along, I fear this might become a painfully long story... .. . . I know, dreadful, isn't it? =P**  
 **I'm such a sucker for dragging things like this out, suspense is such a thrill, ne? ...no? Fine, I'll get this cart rolling. Help me invent the wheel here! ;)**

 **HAPPY NEW YEAR, BY THE WAY!**

 **WELCOME TO 2018!**

 **NEW CHAPTER! MORE SUSPENSE! MORE MYSTERY!**

 **~~~O~~~**

* * *

 **CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - OF LORDS AND OTHERS**

* * *

 _~O~_

As they walked behind the guards, Kishino began noticing the shifts in their auras. They were nervous, jittery...spooked. She brushed her aura up against Sesshoumaru's to see if he had noticed the same and he confirmed her suspicion. Something was not right.

They weren't leading them towards the Eastern Castle. Sesshoumaru had noticed the same - and he disliked their auras strongly - which Kishino wholeheartedly agreed on.

"I thought you did not read minds..." The Youkai Lord used a barely audible low tone when addressing her, his eyes not leaving the 'guards', and she shook her head with a small smirk ghosting across her lips.

"I do not...reading auras is something else entirely - words are not used, one merely sense what the other is either asking or answering - on a general level."

She replied to him in the same inaudible whisper he'd used, and she saw the understanding in his eyes. Clever thinking! Telepathy could all to easily be overheard by other telepathic creatures of significant power. Auras could not be invaded as such, not if the intent was to listen in on a private conversation.

Sesshoumaru knew auras could project ones emotions if one did not contain ones aura properly; emotions such as rage, displeasure, surprise, depression, happiness and so on - but to hear of proper conversations being possible was new to him. Kishino got what he meant and merely nodded. It had been quite a day for her when she discovered that she and Tsuren had gone a whole day without speaking actual words...

They regained their trail of original thought, and the pair gazed at the backs of the guards. The Eastern Lord, Suiko, was a strong bear youkai - and he would never have sent guards to escort another Lord - that would've been a direct insult to the visiting Lord's strength.

The stench of something amiss was getting worse. Again they exchanged looks, this time their gazes lingered an extra second. It had not passed their attention that they were being lead the wrong way. Both of them had been to the Eastern Castle before, well Sesshoumaru had, Kishino had merely seen it from a distance - but still... They both knew this was not the way.

She could feel Sesshoumaru's ire rise, her own not far behind. She had prevented him from melting the three suspicious creatures with his poison whip a few minutes ago, but now...perhaps she should've let him.

The most reasonable thing would be if one of them headed off to the Eastern Castle while one stayed behind and dealt with these imposters. Kishino rolled her tender shoulders and her right hand slowly moved to the short bow on her right hip - Sesshoumaru noticed this, but he had also sensed her trail of thought through her aura a few heartbeats ago. In a flash he was gone and heading to the Eastern Castle, leaving her to deal with the three mystery youkai - it was below him to deal with such vermin.

The three 'guards' sensed the missing presence of the Taiyoukai immediately after his departure from the scene and spun around on their heels only to face the priest who already had his short bow at the ready.

"What is the meaning of this - where did the Western Lord go!?" Growled one of the tanuki youkai, his aura flickered again and Kishino released the first arrow as a warning and it lodged itself in the ground right in front of the tanuki's feet and releasing a small, sharp burst of reiki. The youkai leapt back with small yelps as the reiki threw the illusions they had cloaked themselves in. These weren't tanuki at all!

"Rats!"

All three seemed to change the moment she called them out on what they really were, and their true forms made Kishino wish they cast the charm again. Couldn't just be normal rats, could they?! No... The warrior-priest heaved a heavy sigh and rubbed the back of her neck. These were black rats. From the mainland. She'd really hoped she'd not have to deal with these sneaky, but not too bright, creatures again.

"Kill that wretched human!" Rat number one seethed, his narrow pointy nose wrinkled in his thin face as if the mere thought of a human disgusted him. The one she'd dubbed 'number three' had an equally long and thin face with a crooked nose hovering above thin lips drawn back in a sneer. The one dubbed 'number two' tried to sneer, but it looked more like he had a severe stomach cramp.

"I really do not have time to play with you!"

Kishino could see how her arrogant and aloof answer agitated the rats, especially number one. Number two seemed peeved, but more nervous - and number three the same as number one. They had all drawn their swords - youkai swords with strong auras she noticed. The stench of poison emanated from the swords so she could to a certain degree predict what kind of abilities the swords had.

Her current mood and mindset didn't make her all too willing to deal with multiple poison-related attacks aimed at her person right now- so she pulled the high neckline of her jumper up over her mouth and nose and rolled her tender shoulders once more. She really shouldn't bother with engaging - they weren't worth the time. But alas...

The three rats disappeared in a flash, or at least they thought they did, most likely thinking their youkai speed superior. But Kishino felt their auras and tuned in on each and every one at once - they were easy to track as they didn't seem to know how to hide themselves, or their auras. They had no idea who they were about to deal with...

She leapt into action, and performing an elegant forwards roll she managed to turn herself around, short bow in hand, and fired three rapid, glowing short arrows in three specific directions. Hearing the responding sound of metal she knew she'd struck target - and when she heard the louder enraged cries from the three youkai she knew her arrows had done their purpose. The enchanted arrows had bound the powers in their weapons thus rendering them useless. A spell well learned.

Truth was; she really didn't feel like dealing with poison swords today - but she'd take the fight. Perhaps it'd make her feel better after the build up of inner turmoil these past days.

"He sealed our Master's mighty weapons!?" Rat number one threw his weapon aside and was quick to lunge at the blackclad human figure with claws elongated and ready to shred flesh from bones. Red rage burned in his beady rodent eyes, but that was all to her advantage - it meant he was more intent on drawing blood than predicting his opponent's responding move.

Still in a crouching position, Kishino swiftly rolled onto her back, pulled her knees up towards her chest, and timed her kick. The soles of her boots made contact with the rat's chest, taking full advantage of the momentum of his speedy lunge through the air towards her - and so in a very fluid motion she sent rat number one flying over her head and into a tree further down the path. Less energy spent on her part.

Her eyes shifted quickly as she sensed more approaching movement, reacting without the need to think, and in a heartbeat finished the backwards roll after the first initial kick to number one, and rat number two's claws sliced deep gashes into the soil where her lower abdomen had been a mere second ago. The poor thing was still torn between fear and wanting to fight. His moves were clumsy and almost reluctant. The youngest of the bunch, she decided. Inexperienced.

Now crouched on the ground, nearly flat on her stomach, she had a good base position for dealing with him. Her shoulders were burning, but she ignored it as best she could at the moment. She had to use her upper body strength here, so she focused her weight onto her arms and flung her legs around to her left side with speed - left foot impacting with the side of the rat's face moments before the right found the same spot. The force behind her attack sent him rolling several yards away from her.

She exhaled quickly, shifted her feet back on the ground and got back up. Man, her shoulders hurt! But no time to breathe or care about pain as rat number three was already swiping at her with long claws - she barely had time to deflect the full force of the blow, the tips scratched through the fabric of her jumper and millimetres into the skin on her arms. The stinging sensation was quickly forgotten as number three went for another sweep at her, this time aiming for the abdomen. One step back she took, then simply fell down, letting her stomach touch the ground again - and let rat number one crash into rat number three in a fantastic display of full-on physical impact, youkai style (which meant a flight through the air and damage to the surrounding landscape).

While number one and three tried to untangle themselves from one another in their self-made dent in the ground, Kishino focused down number two. The thing had frozen completely, his courage leaving him the more the fight progressed. He went flying (again) easily enough - his defense was terrible. She almost, note; ALMOST! felt sorry for him.

The terrible feeling in her gut that this was something she really didn't have time for kept getting stronger - and she could almost see the mental echo of her past self standing there on the sideline of the fight, yelling at some stubborn hanyou who seemed more intent on proving his strength than actually get the job done. What was she trying to prove here anyway!?

Kishino frowned. She recalled how she'd hated such needless fights. But she wasn't that naïve teen anymore - she had to fight and win to survive! These were lesser youkai, uncoordinated as a team - hired by a much more powerful foe - a foe she was very eager to find! And she should've finished this fight minutes ago! Finished it before it even started! She drew her katana. She'd finish this now!

. . . then...

The air around them grew tense, though still mid-fight, they all notably stilled.

There was a terrible tremor running through the ground, and Kishino, as well as the rats, froze completely. The tremors were quickly followed by shockwaves rippling through the air - and though most of the power in them had diminished they still made her stagger slightly, thus breaking her out of her frozen state.

Icy chills moved slowly down her spine once she could move again - like semi-frozen, slushy water. Instead of widening, her eyes narrowed, flashing a crystal blue. Danger. Threat. Death. She could both smell and sense it come from a distance!

That was the aftershock of an explosion, she'd felt too many of those in previous battles to have any doubts about it. This had been a big one. And she knew where that explosion had come from!

She whipped around on her heel and released her immense aura from it's hideout beneath layers and layers of barriers and as a result the rat youkai instantly panicked. No more playing around. No more indulging in selfish needs to release tension.

When the hidden extent of her power was able to be sensed the three rat youkai seemingly forgot all about fighting her. And like the rats they were, they thought to flee the scene was the best option.

Kishino growled and slashed with her katana at the ground. Waves, or ripples, of bright, blinding yellow light blasted towards the fleeing rats - the first ripples curving around the targets to prevent their escape forwards, the following ripples of light disappeared under the ground and above the rats' heads, creating a golden cage that allowed no escape in any direction.

They scratched at the walls of light with claws, shrieking, yelling, snarling as they realized they couldn't go above or underneath the barrier! Their fingers bled and skin tore at the contact with the holy powers surrounding them, their attempts at tearing through it quickly stopped. Number one began running his mouth when he had no other options. Filthy human! Foolish priest! Coward! Shouting random curses and threats that Kishino was all too familiar with - she'd heard it before. She could only gaze at them with an unimpressed expression on her face.

"Shut up!" Kishino shouted when number three joined his comrade, their joined voices really did her head in! She stepped up to the outside of the glowing prison, her posture proud, strong, confident. With eyes ablaze and her mighty aura pressing down against theirs they did as they were commanded -they could not challenge her authority.

It was almost amusing how quiet the rats were right now, and as she approached them they scurried together, each trying to get behind the others and use them as shields.

"I know you three were meant to be a diversion." She stated, and all three flinched - so she knew she had been correct in her statement. And yet, knowing this, she still wouldn't acknowledge her growing impatience to get to the Castle, there was an opportunity for information here!

"Did you really think the Western Lord, or any companion of his, a fool?" She directed the question at number one.

"You're a fool to think we'd tell you!" Number three smirked, faking confidence.

"You do NOT speak!" Kishino snarled and pulled the neckline mask from her face, baring her teeth at them in an impressive sneer.

"Your master did not want the Lord of the West at the Eastern Castle. Why?"

"Youkai will not speak with a lower being such as yo.."

"ANSWER ME!"

The rats cowered together when the priest's eyes flashed crystal blue again, this time with rage, the pure holy power which radiated off his person was a threat unlike any they had sensed before. No human priests or mikos they'd encountered before this came close to this level of power! Their skin began to sting and burn under the pressure of the priest's power - this was not something they had been prepared for!

"Have you suddenly gone both deaf and dumb?" Kishino sneered, and the rats growled in unison.

"The master will punish you for your interference in his plan, human! He will punish you for interrupting our mission!" Spat rat number one heatedly, summoning what little bravery he had left in his body. Kishino merely arched an eyebrow and the golden cage decreased in size and became notably more snug.

"And your master is... who?" While giving them a few seconds to think about whether or not to answer her, she further decreased the size of the cage by twisting her katana in her hand. The rats noticed this more than focusing on replying to her question and rat number one roared at her, teeth bared.

"We shall be avenged if we perish here! The priest will die like all the others! Tell this filthy human noth...! "

"He's a powerful youkai from the Southern Shores! You can't win against his might! He's a powerf..." Rat number two cried in panic, interrupting number one, his chest heaving rapidly from hyperventilating.

She thought she could get more from this one, but before he could reveal more, rat number three lunged at him, bit into his throat and tore out the windpipe. Just like that. It happened so fast - she could not prevent it. The sick tearing of flesh lingered as number two gurgled, with blood pouring out his mouth and spraying from the wound in his throat - then he fell over like a sack of beans, bleeding out as was his fate.

Rat number three then proceeded to spit the mouthful of flesh in the direction of the priest's feet, his eyes completely black with malice.

"We will tell you nothing!"

"Hn." Kishino inclined her head.

She drew her short bow and fired two arrows, each glowing a blinding pale sakura pink. Before the two remaining rats knew what had hit them, they were blowing away in the wind as glittering dust. They were of no use to her any longer. But... Her feet brought her through the dust, through the barrier, and she reached the last rat who was already in the first stages of death tremors coursing through his body - no longer getting any oxygen, and the heart no longer managed to fully pump blood to the vital organs thanks to the massive amount of bloodloss in a short period of time.

"I value the small slice of information you gave me..." she stared down at the rat on the ground and the golden cage around them disappeared.

She kept her gaze on the youkai whose life was quickly leaving him, and then in a fluid motion crouched down next to him. She stared at him as he stared at her - the glazing across his eyes spoke of his nearing end. He was terrified. She could all too clearly hear the deathrattle in his chest. Such a young specimen, she thought. Far too young. By youkai standards he was merely an incredibly young adolescent. It seemed so pointless - cruel, even. Though she wished it wasn't so, she felt her merciful heart kick in.

"The southern shores?" She watched the dying youkai, and he gave a small nod before his beady eyes then rolled back in their sockets.

Kishino made a quick decision before her mind really could catch up to her; her hand grasped the rat's throat and as she stood she lifted him up with her. Her fingers clenched around the soft tissue of his throat, momentarily stopping the bleeding by the sheer pressure. A sickening gurgle emanated from the rat and her hand was coated with the thick, rapidly clotting blood which spilled from his mouth. Now that her thoughts were on team with her reactions she wasn't sure what she would do now. What COULD she do? And WHY!?

She truly didn't know what compelled her, but her palm began glowing a soft golden light which then seeped into the rat's injured throat, illuminating the area that was being healed.

"Pledge your allegience to me. Your loyalty, your life, your soul, your mind, your past, present, and your future!"

The hoarse voice of the warrior-priest stirred life into the youkai. The rat, though on the brink of death, brought his gaze back to stare at the human priest, eyes unseeing, but wide.

His aura flickered and she clocked in on it. She sensed his weak reply and nearly snorted at him. So he meant that Kishino couldn't command such a thing from a youkai! She was not a Lord! ... Well...

"Neither is your Master!" Kishino reminded him through clenched teeth.

His surprise turned into realization, then hope, fear, back to hope, and as his final response was felt through his aura she released him from her grip. The glow from her palm lingered on his throat, then shot down into the cavity of his chest, boosting the heart and lungs capacity enough to make sure her healing of the throat wasn't wasted. The rat youkai stumbled a few steps backwards while his hands desperately grasped at his healed throat, gasping air down into his burning lungs - the oxygen causing his entire body to feel euphoric, from his toes to the top of his head - which reflected off the ecstatic look on his face and the widening grin of relief.

His hand traced over his healed throat. Wonder flashed across his features as he felt every inch of healed skin. Etched into the skin across his throat, where moments before a gaping wound had been, was a mark resembling a silver arrow - though he could not see this. Kishino did see it. The next second the young rat youkai doubled over while coughing up the remnants of clotted blood still in his airways, gagging a few times as would be natural. Kishino stood, unmoving, while the youkai collected himself.

"Swear it!" Kishino's voice had gained a monotone chill, and once the words left her, the rat was on his knees by her feet, clutching at her left hand and pressing it against his face. He smelled his own blood on the priest's hand, and knew what he had done for him.

"My loyalty. My life. My soul. My mind. My past, present and future. I pledge it all to you and you shall be my Lord! Where you go, I follow. When you fight, I will fight WITH you. Everything I have is yours!"

The spoken vow held magic in itself, and it wound itself around the two - thus binding the rat youkai to the person he pledged himself to. The silver arrow across his skin faded and would only shine through once his loyalties were questioned. Whatever pledge he had made to his old Master was now invalid. The brink of death had weakened those ties enough for a new one to be forged.

"You saved my life? You spared me! I...thank you! I am in your debt, My Lord! My Master! I do not deserve it! I will..."

"You will follow me to the Eastern Castle."

"Yes, My Lord!" The rat sobbed, his forehead pressing against the back ot Kishino's hand.

 _What've I done now...?_ Kishino thought grimly to herself. This was NOT the outcome she'd imagined...

* * *

~O~

Once she'd managed to shake the emotional rat off her hand, the rat took his animal form - it was not a very impressive form, but Kishino found it much easier to handle when the rat youkai became a rat of a normal rat size. She allowed him to perch on her shoulder as she boosted her speed with her reiki and made haste to the Castle.

There was a strange clenching feeling in her gut when she thought about the fact she'd sent Sesshoumaru ahead. Kami, she hoped he'd not been involved in that explosion! Not that she...cared! That was a lie, of course she did. He was a friend! A companion! An ally! And...besides! he was Sesshoumaru! He'd not take damage from something as plain as an explosion! ...right?

"Why I am concerned is none of your business!" She muttered in response to the rat's questioning aura, and reeled in her own, cloaking it completely once again.

The world blurred past them as she ran between the trees, avoiding the open road as much as she could. The closer they got to the Castle the more trees they saw flattened against the ground, large rocks had left skid-marks in the landscape, tufts of grass, twigs, branches and moss everywhere.

The Eastern Castle was situated on the top of a small cliff surrounded by meadows and forest, well debris of forest now, but still. A majestic sight. It was very apparent that this had been the center of the explosion, they couldn't even see the structure of the castle thanks to the thick cloud of dust that still hovered here.

She felt her guts clench again. An ominous presence had been here not long before them, and it made her feel uneasy.

"Of course we're going up there!" She grabbed the nervous rat in one hand before he could jump off her shoulder and scaled the bare cliff wall with little difficulty, but when reaching the top of the six-men-tall rock cliff she had to take a breather. Infusing her limbs with reiki was, by far, the most draining abilities of all.

While she focused on her breathing and re-centring her reiki within herself, she took the time to study the black rat in her right hand. She had never been a big fan of rats, and she still wasn't. She'd kinda overcome her fear of spiders after her history with Naraku, but rats...bleh.

She then dared shift her gaze to the surroundings. Remnants of the grand buildings belonging to the castle-grounds were sticking out like skeletons in a graveyard, dark silhouettes against the dust.

"What could've caused such destruction?"

Adjusting the rat back onto her left shoulder she carefully stepped through the first lines of debris. Here and there lay fallen bodies of youkai, some in their animal form, some not.

"Kami..." Kishino adjusted the neckline of her jumper over her nose and mouth again. Death was everywhere. Those that weren't already gone were fading rapidly.

She couldn't waste any more time standing there trying to figure out what had caused this - it would do her no good right now! Nor would it do Sesshoumaru any good if she delayed! And all these youkai... She had to do something!

At the corner of a burnt down building, Kishino quickly discarded her long bow and arrows, lining them up against a scorched support beam.

"You guard these!" She commanded the little rat and placed him down with the weapon and projectiles, then she left him there, disappearing into the smoke and dust.

She had to find Sesshoumaru!

* * *

~O~

Hours passed.

Kishino was growing more desperate in her search for the Inu Lord. During her search she had found, and healed, twenty-seven youkai - most of them were bears - but none could recall having seen the Western Lord before the explosion knocked them out. And every time she asked, every time she got the same answer, she felt trapped between this unexplainable despair and senseless hope. Had he been obliterated in the explosion? Or perhaps he hadn't reached the Eastern Castle yet when the explosion went off...

"Hito-sama, you need rest..." A large male with a rugged appearance and strong muscular build grumbled at her with his deep voice. One of the Castle residents, an old bear youkai, but still exceptionally strong and durable. He was Karon - one of the Lord's Generals.

"I need to find..." Kishino's voice was sharp, but she regretted it and lowered her head.

"The others you've helped have regrouped and are working to clear the masses of debris in front of the main castle doors..." Karon watched the young human male with understanding. The old bear youkai worried for his own Lord, so he could in one way relate - but humans always felt things more strongly, didn't they?

"The destruction to the outer walls and the carrying structure as well as the amount of rubble makes it tricky, as one wrong move can cause the castle to collapse..."

Karon's large hand landed heavily on Kishino's shoulder in a reassuring gesture, but she visibly winced at the contact and when Karon removed his palm he saw the trace of blood transferred from the priest. This wouldn't do at all...

"Little human, have you not tended to your own injuries?" Using a scolding tone, the bear swept the much smaller form of Kishino up under one of his arms and ignored the heated protests as he carried the stubborn human to the makeshift camp the survivors had put together while they figured out what to do first and where to search first.

Kishino was firmly sat down in front of a fire and gently held in place by the bear.

"I'm fine!" Kishino insisted.

"Of course you are!" A white cat youkai seemingly floated across the ground towards them. She was an ethereal female. Hair as white as snow, even whiter than Inuyasha's mane (but way better kept and in way better condition!) Eyes of emerald green glittered at them in a perfectly heartshaped face, and the most heartwarming smile brightened the already beautiful features of the cat youkai. She was Sinna - the Eastern Castle's most revered healer, coming from a long line of white cat youkai loyal to the Lord of the East, with healing magic in their blood.

"Hito-sama's shoulders are injured, Sinna-san. Help him."

"Don't worry, Sinna-san, I can heal on my own..." Kishino muttered while glaring halfheartedly at the large bear.

"Oh, you may call me Sinna, Hito-sama! It would be an honour!"

The priest grimaced visibly at the sound of garment tearing. Sinna, the sneaky cat, had torn open the seams across the right shoulder while Kishino was distracted by glaring at Karon. But now her attention was back on the cat. She'd JUST repaired those seams! For the first time in many, many years, Kishino really felt like whining.

"You stitched yourself up?" Sinna mused, and Kishino clenched her jaw, nodding.

"Hm. The few stitches I can see are actually very well done, but recent action seems to have caused most of them to tear the edges of the wounds and so the skin's splitting and healing takes longer. You used herbs?"

Again Kishino nodded.

"That's why it's not infected. How many days ago did these injuries occur?"

"Three...four, I can't recall..."

"Hm." Sinna didn't ask more questions, and Kishino was about to pull the sleeves of the jumper back up, but to her great surprise she received a slap across her fingers.

"I'm not done!" Sinna scolded, hissing gently to empathize her point. Kishino found herself in an odd position as she generally didn't accept help to tend to her own injuries, but she felt very compelled to allow this beautiful cat youkai to give it a go - she did respect cats.

"My Lord!" A loud, ear-piercing cry rang out, and Kishino groaned. She'd forgotten about number two! And Kami, she could NOT continue calling him that!

"My Lord, I feared you..." The rat stopped inside the camp, bow and arrows tightly clutched to his chest, eyes big and staring at all the big youkai around him, and especially the cat... Sinna eyed the rat with dangerously narrowed eyes, which made said rat extremely nervous, though humanoid at the moment, his nose still twitched.

"My Lord, you're injured!" He gasped once he noticed the bared shoulders of his Lord, and rushed to Kishino's side, bowing his head submissively as he knelt down next to him.

"Old injury..." Kishino assured him quietly.

"An injury acquired three or four days ago cannot be called an old injury!" Sinna corrected the priest quickly.

"Now, Hito-sama, this might sting...a lot. I will admit I have never attempted to heal a human before..."

"If you hurt My Lord I will...!"

Kishino slammed her left hand down on the rat's shoulder before the cat could take his head, and gave him a stern look.

"You are not my protector, let me make that clear right...noOW! OW!" Kishino finished the calm sentence with a louder than expected yelp. Stormy blue eyes glanced to his side at the cat, Sinna, who in turn blinked innocently and gestured to the priest's right shoulder. The skin had been sealed.

"Speaking of ow, My Lord...I do not wish to complain, but..." The rat whimpered, and Kishino looked back to his 'subject' and quickly released his clenching grip on the rat's shoulder.

"Next shoulder, Hito-sama?" The cat smirked playfully, and Kishino swore to herself she WOULD be very wise in the future and make sure to heal all her own injuries before anyone else could!

"What is your name?" Kishino whispered to the rat as said rat scurried around her to avoid the cat. Sinna's hand never lost contact with Kishino as she made her way around the back of the priest. Her fingers traced across the tense shoulderblades before hovering above the injured left shoulder. Kishino didn't pay attention to this, but she grimaced slightly at the sound of another seam tearing by the hand of the cat.

"Entu, My Lord." The rat stated his name when he saw the cat prepare to heal, and Kishino nodded, taking the distraction for what it was.

"Entu. It's...FUCK!" Kishino snarled loudly and the cat snickered, gesturing to the sealed skin on the left shoulder.

"I can heal humans now!" She purred happily, clapping her hands together excitedly, and Kishino scowled while rubbing his left shoulder first before working on the right one. Fine, they felt better. Much better in fact.

"I owe you my thanks, Sinna...I am ever so grateful for your willingness to aid me."

"Oh, it is my duty to help wherever I can, Hito-sama!" The feline youkai ran her fingers up the priest's arm, and Kishino didn't move as the white cat leaned close to his ear.

"...wherever...I...can..." the soft whisper ghosted across the shell of Kishino's left ear, then the cat bowed her head in respect and left to tend to other youkai and their injuries.

Kishino blinked a few times, staring at the graceful female as she walked away. Huh... she rubbed her left ear before standing up. That was... She glared at the rat next to her, who tried to hide his grin behind his arm, faking a cough.

"Entu, let's...let's go search for Lord Sesshoumaru."

"Yes, My Lord!"

* * *

~O~

"On three, Entu!" Kishino grabbed the end of a large wooden beam, and the rat took hold of the other end.

"One!" They both lifted, the beam shifted, and they both turned to their right and flung the large beam to the other side. It had taken Entu approximately fifteen tries before he began lifting on the count of one instead of waiting for three. Once he got the hang of it the two of them worked quite efficiently as a team to clear the stairs.

All around them the residents of the Castle grounds had grouped up in different teams under Karon's guidance - to collect their dead, search for survivors, set up a camp, find food etc.

Every now and again Entu noticed that his Lord would flare his powers in hopes of sensing the Lord of the West, eyes hopeful only to darken with disappointment and sadness when he sensed nothing. They'd had to make camp as evening fell, as it got too dark to see which pieces were safe to remove.

"What is he like, YOUR Lord?" Entu quietly asked when evening had fallen and the two of them sat in their own little camp for the night, a little away from the bigger camp the residents of the Castle had set up.

"He is as he is. Everything you've heard and more." Kishino sighed, laying on her side in front of the fire, supporting her head with one hand while the other twirled one of her short arrows between her fingers.

Entu chewed on this for a bit. So the Western Lord was as lethal and cruel as he had been told.

"You respect him?"

"Above all others."

"He's your friend?

"He is my ally first, but yes - also my friend."

Did that mean the priest was as ruthless and cruel as The Lord of The West? No, it couldn't - it didn't make sense from what Entu had experienced today with the priest. He was a kind man, a merciful and strongwilled man. A determined and selfless man. But so mysterious...like a riddle that made no sense.

"Am I your friend?"

Kishino was a little startled by the last question, and could only stare at the rat on the other side of the small fire.

"Perhaps...in time...maybe." she replied to him, but oddly enough Entu seemed very happy to get that answer.

"I might get to call THE Kishino Hito my friend one day..." he mused sleepily, and Kishino snickered quietly. Both shifted onto their backs, Kishino with his hands behind his head, Entu with his hands folded across his stomach.

"Night, my Lord!"

"Night, Entu..."

Kishino lay awake long after the rat had fallen asleep. Her mind was churning, her thoughts racing and swirling, but in the end sleep caught up to her, and her last conscious act was to raise the protective barriers around herself and Entu's camp.

 _Damnit, Sesshoumaru! Where are you!?_

* * *

~O~

Morning came sooner than she'd have liked. Bright morning sunlight pricked at her eyelids, chasing away the comforting darkness of sleep. She fought the process of waking, but knew it was a futile fight.

She felt oddly hot and...compressed... As sleep left her mind completely she became more and more aware of how hot it really was. Ugh, and the sunlight was terrible! Not given much of a choice on the matter, her eyes shot open then - blast that sunlight straight to H...

"How did you get past my barrier?!" She exclaimed with genuine surprise when she saw the white ball of fluff on her chest.

"Sinna!"

"Mrrrr, you seemed so cozy!" The feline youkai in animal form responded and curled up even tighter while soothing purrs vibrated through her lithe body. That wasn't was Kishino had asked!

"Sinna!" Kishino's voice gained a sharp edge and the cat sighed, uncurling herself slightly, tilting her head across her paws to stare lazily at the human male with her emerald green eyes.

"Healers never mean any harm, your barrier allowed it!"

Kishino made a displeased grimace, now she had to implement new layers to her normal selection of barriers!

Sinna raised her head from her paws and gave the priest a smug smirk, stretching her front legs out in front of her and pawing at Kishino's collarbone while her hind legs tread the warrior-priest's abdomen. Still purring the white cat leaned over and rubbed her head against the blackclad human's face before said human grabbed her and lifted her away.

"Don't be mad..." the cat gently rasped her surprisingly soft tongue over Kishino's hand, or what she could reach because of the hands holding her. Kishino's eyebrow twitched slightly. Don't be mad?

"Karon started it!" The cat cooed softly.

"Karon?" Kishino frowned. Then she realized just why she felt compressed. Her head turned rapidly from side to side. Dark brown fur from a massive body was surrounding her on all sides. Most sides... The giant bear youkai had semi-curled himself around the human priest, providing warmth and shelter from the chilly night winds.

"Why are you guys even here?!" Kishino snapped, morning grumpyness jumped to a high level right then.

"You shouldn't have been able to pass through the barriers!"

"Bears are mostly herbivores...no danger." The large bear yawned and proceeded to wrap his large front paw around the smaller creatures in a real bear hug. Sinna meowed, but in all honesty she didn't complain about being pressed so tightly against the handsome priest. Not at all! For a human he was truly unique! Such a boyish charm, such beautiful and clean features! Strong in his own sinewy, lean way. Like a male cat! He had caught her eye the moment she first laid eyes on him after he had healed her in the middle of the debris. She didn't mind his humanity one bit!

"So a bear and cat got through my barriers while i slept?" Kishino wheezed, though couldn't help the small chuckle as he pushed at Karon's great paw.

"I need to breathe, Karon!"

Finally she managed to wrestle herself away from the youkai in their animal forms, placed the cat down, rolled to her hands and knees, then pushed herself up on her feet. As she patted herself down she discretely looked around.

"Where is Entu?"

"I am here, my Lord!" The black rat youkai came walking back to the camp with some food in his arms just that second, smiling with his entire face, which was one way to describe it. He had some wild chickens in his arms, and root-vegetables, and some handfulls of rice in a small linen pouch.

Kishino nodded in approval before she knelt down, stirring the coals in the dead fireplace to see if there was any embers left, and there was! With help from Entu they had the fire burning brightly before long, and Kishino left to get water for the rice, and tea, while Entu and the two uninvited camp-guests prepared the food.

There was a lake not far from the Castle grounds, on the East side of the cliff, with a small river entering it from the north. Kishino made it straight for the running water and halted at the spot where the river met the lake.

Why not take advantage of the opportunity to go through her hygienic routines as well as apply more scent-hiding balm to herself and her getup while getting the water? She looked around and cast her barriers around the area.

Safe within a net of barriers she could not be seen, heard or sensed in any form or way by the outside world. It was one of the reasons why she'd been able to travel as she had done for so long. She did value her privacy! Though right now she wasn't comfortable with her surroundings, so she simply dove into the water, clothes on. Just a soak in itself would do wonders. A quick swim against the currents loosened up the tension in her muscles, and she felt much better once she returned to dry land. As she flushed her mouth with water she gazed out at the small lake, letting her thoughts wander while admiring the glittering of the sunlight across the still surface. She got the balm out and rubbed it into the skin around her neck, across her shoulders and under her arms. Her armour would have to last a few more days.

She had to get inside that Castle today. There was something inside that Castle that she couldn't sense, and she needed to find out what caused this!

Other things kept prodding at her mind as well. She pulled the soaked jumper over her head and adjusted it correctly.

Entu had been an impulse, she didn't know why she'd bound him to her side with a Lord's vow - but now it was done. Sure, he seemed eager to serve, and he also seemed honest enough, but she wouldn't put too much trust in him just yet. She needed to push him for information about his old master as well - though right now that was not her main focus. She had to find Sesshoumaru first!

Then there was the cat, Sinna - Kishino REALLY didn't know what to think of her... She'd just met her yesterday - healed her injuries in the midst of the ruins, saved her from death. Also; she'd discovered that Sinna was an amazing youkai healer, plus she was without doubt an otherwordly beauty which few others could match! She already knew that the feline youkai was incredibly...uh...affectionate. Kami, she'd get in trouble with that cat if she didn't set down some very clear boundaries early on here. She hoped she could manage to do so and still remain on good terms, because he had seen some healing techniques performed by the cat which she would really like to learn...

Kishino ran a hand over her face and back to her neck. Her fingers curled around the long hair, and a series of facial twitches commenced as she pondered cutting some length off the jet black mane she possessed. She did this every now and again for easier maintenance, but she wasn't sure if now was the time. She'd not cut it in years now. Hm. She kept up the soothing tugging of the hair while she fell back into thought...

There was the old bear, Karon, who seemed to have taken a liking to her as well despite only knowing Kishino Hito for less than twentyfour hours. He was wise, strong, well-respected among the residents, kind. One of the first she had found close to death and healed. He'd stayed close to her since.

"You're getting yourself quite the entourage, Kags." She muttered darkly, catching her reflection in the water in front of her. The person she saw in the reflection was frowning deeply. She let go of her hair and let the wet tresses drop around her shoulders to frame her face.

Kags...Kagome. Was that person still there, within her? A heavy sigh escaped her as she unsheathed her katana, coiled her hair around her left wrist again, and brought the blade up behind her neck. Then, with one precise slice of the sharp blade, she cut the long ebony locks. The length was reduced to just below her shoulders instead of reaching all the way down below her ass.

Sighing to herself, taking a moment to ponder why she had done just that, she dug a shallow grave for the long black locks she'd removed from her person. She hid the proof of the ground having been disturbed and stood back up - back straight, jaw angled and eyes narrowed. Again she looked at her reflection in the water, seeing the young man she portrayed; newly cut hair falling around his head, wild locks sticking out and refusing to join the rest. Gave her more of a rugged appearance, she decided. She ruffled up the still damp, shorter mane with both hands before heading back.

She would find her missing Inu Lord today!

~~~O~~~


	19. Second taste of Poison

**Disclaimer:** _**I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

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 **A.N.: So tired! ...but have a chapter 19! I'm struggling guys, I will admit XD Chapter Twenty is at a major crossroad and there are so many different roads to choose from! I might go for some emotional realizations, romantic encounters, more suspense and mere chatting... you know...I can do so many things and I don't know where to go with it! XD That's the fun part though...to see where it takes me. :)**

 **So. This is the longest chapter yet! Blimey...I've had to cut out many parts of this chapter before I was happy enough to post it. Mostly near the end, so those parts will be coming in chapter 20. I will not keep you in suspense too much longer. You'll all get to know more about the eagles and their parts in the plot at least... :P**

 **Enjoy!**

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* * *

 **CHAPTER NINETEEN - SECOND TASTE OF POISON**

* * *

~~~O~~~

"Get off my Lord this instance, cat!"

Entu squeaked loudly in protest while trying to pull the white cat youkai away from Kishino by his best effort, but the slender youkai female didn't budge one inch.

Kishino was bristling - he could've been a cat himself right then hadn't Entu known better. His arms stiff by his sides, shoulders high from tension, eyebrow twitching dangerously.

"Sinna...this truly is not appropriate..."

Entu heard the uncomfortable priest clear his throat. Oh, he hoped his Priest Lord told the pesky cat youkai female off!

Sinna was literally standing as close as physically possible to the priest with her elegant hands running through the black, much shorter hair - fingers combing through the unruly locks. She was purring loudly in delight! She hadn't thought it possible for this man to get any more handsome! She admired how the jet black strands slid between her fingers like silk before she took in the smooth texture of the skin along his perfectly squared jaw. So young! And yet she knew he wasn't as young as he looked - his eyes held too much wisdom! Oh, she could play with his hair all day long!

The cat youkai was making her thoughts and intentions clear in the way she touched and pressed herself against Kishino. Entu and Karon exchanged looks, not sure if they should be embarrassed or, well, **very** embarrassed at how poorly the feline restrained herself. Karon, who had known the cat for at least a century had never seen her act this out of line before...

A small spark of holy power jolted the feline youkai back to reality and she pulled her hands back quickly, and Kishino flashed her a somewhat strained smile.

"I must ask you to respect my boundaries and personal space..."

Kishino looked at the green eyes, noticing how the first shock faded over to understanding, then shame at her own behaviour.

"I apologize, Hito-sama...you're a priest, and I was out of line!" She bowed her head, realizing how she might've come across to the priest.

"Fret not, Sinna - I am not angry." The blackhaired human hesitated for a short moment, his brows drawn together in a thoughtful frown that lasted only a short moment.

"You may call me Kishino - since you allowed me to use your name freely. The same should go for you, Karon-sama. I am afraid titles hold little meaning to me in my line of work..."

The cat's face lit up in a brilliant smile at that honour! A true sign of friendship and trust! What an honour! Karon nodded his head in approval.

"Karon to you, Kishino. It shall go both ways."

With that taken care of, they prepared the rice with the water Kishino had gotten, and soon ate roasted chicken with vegetables and rice. Sinna was pouring drinks and made sure not to meet the priest's gaze. Oh, what must he think of her?! She sat down next to Karon and ate her food in silence.

An odd group, Kishino thought to herself as she discretely gazed at each individual in turn. A human, a rat, a cat and a bear. What a fairytale story that would make in the future...That thought made her scoff quietly to herself. When was the last time she'd thought about the future? Her future. Her original era. She locked her gaze on the food in the bowl between her hands and tried to empty her mind completely.

"Why does the rat call you Lord? Do you come from a noble human line?" Karon mused, his deep voice vibrating through the air. He had seen the troubled look in the young priest's eyes, then the gradual shift into a blank stare directed at the food. He thought some conversation might bring the young man out of the stupor - and was content when the stormy blue gaze moved to him.

"There is not a drop of noble blood in me, Karon." Kishino flashed a sideways smirk at the big male.

"My grandfather is..." she stopped herself cmpletely and her brows knitted together again.

"Was...a priest. My family lived in a shrine..."

"Something tells me they are no longer around." Karon gave the young man a sympathetic look, and Kishino quickly shook his head.

"They're not here, no."

The blueeyed priest glanced over at Entu then, and shrugged before pointing at the rat with his thumb.

"As for him; I simply made him swear his servitude to me." She continued in a calm and light tone, a shadow of a smile ghosting over her features.

She did feel a small tinge of amusement when the bear's eyes grew big, she caught the rat's beaming expression through the corner of her eye and snorted lightly to hide her own rising amusement.

"You..." Karon tilted his head, rubbing the dark brown stubble on his chin with a hand. He had not heard of a human using the Lord's Vow to bind a youkai to them before.

"To save my life!" Entu glanced over at Kishino in case he spoke out of line, but the human didn't seem to plan on punishing him for speaking without having been told to speak.

"I was dying. He healed me even though he really didn't want to. I had attacked him not many minutes earlier..."

The rat lowered his head, subdued by the fresh memory. Kishino had stopped chewing and was staring at the impulse-companion she'd acquired yesterday - then finished her food without a word.

"It was the right thing to do." It was a short and final statement, and she put her empty bowl down.

"We should head to the Castle and see if we can make any progress, Karon. Entu, you're with me."

The rat jumped to his feet and Karon rose a tad more slowly than the lithe and agile rat youkai.

"Sinna." Kishino bowed her head to the cat respectfully, and the feline smiled brightly by that small gesture.

"Kishino." She responded. Her emerald eyes rested on the trio of males as they headed to the Castle grounds. She bit her lip while her eyes lingered on the priest and swayed from side to side a few times where she was seated before she sighed and collected the bowls. Reality overshadowed daydreams - she had duties as a Healer.

* * *

~~~O~~~

"Watch it! Watch it!" Kishino cried out in warning while throwing her hands up and grabbing the falling wooden beam, grunting as the weight of it was more than she'd anticipated and it slid from her hasty grip and onto her right shoulder. Good Lord...thank you Sinna for healing the shoulders, otherwise this would've been excruciating! Well at least she hindered the beam from smashing down on the unstable ground. Sweat glistened on her brow while she focused her strength to her legs to keep herself standing - waiting for someone to help her with removing the beam safely.

The pressure lifted off her shoulders and she exhaled in immediate relief. In front of her was Entu, and she felt Karon behind her. What a small band of little helpers she had! She grinned with relief.

"Thanks, guys!"

Rubbing her stiff right shoulder quickly as Karon, with his bear strength, managed to safely transport the heavy wooden beam away from the area which quite fast had been deemed unstable - she and Entu carried on to the next object.

"Why is it unstable?" She asked Karon during the first break after breakfast. They had a drink of water and a couple of mouthfulls of vegetables just to keep them going.

"Catacombs and ancient tombs are down there..." Karon's voice was grim, and Kishino felt the hair in her neck bristle slightly.

"You kept those affected by the disease down there?"

"Both those who were dying, and the dead."

"Are they down there now?"

"Only those we could not physically move..." Karon's face turned slightly green, and Kishino knew all too well why. The memory of slimy, sloshing intestines around her hand - she shuddered slightly. Could turn even the strongest youkai's stomach. Then she reacted to his wording.

"You moved them?" She arched an eyebrow, giving the bear youkai a curious look.

"That we did..." Karon's voice was full of regret.

"Someone had suggested the Lord use Dragon's Breath to burn the corpses, to hinder the spreading of the disease..."

"Dragon's Breath? As in Dragon-fire?" Kishino's eyes widened. The disease itself, or the bacteria more likely (she didn't wish to use modern terms too much), made the bodies fireresistant - something they had learned from Lord Mousen in the North. The toxins...while not reacting to 'human' fire, since it was youkai-based...BUT! Using dragon's fire could possibly cause a chemical reaction, ignite it and...

"That's what caused the explosion..." The human whispered, putting her palms together and rested her chin ontop of her joined thumbs.

"Pardon?"

"The toxins that weaken the body and lead to the aggressive disease...they react to dragon-fire! That's gotta be it! Normal fire can't touch the bodies, and if one try burying the bodies the land around slowly dies..." She rubbed her face with one hand. Her thoughts were racing as the pieced together the possibilities.

"Keeping the bodies in underground catacombs result in gasses and fumes gathering up by the ceiling as the bodies decompose, and that in turn corrode the ceiling and/or ground above, thus making it unstable..."

There was a possibility that the fumes and gasses, shaken by the tremors from the explosion, had changed its texture and become somewhat of a blockade against extrasensory powers...Hm. man, this was getting complicated fast - not that it wasn't complicated to begin with.

"Where were the other bodies burned?"

"Right here, Kishino. In the center of the Castle grounds."

Kishino turned her head and looked around - REALLY looked around. She'd not paid attention to the ground, completely wiped clean of any trace of loose sand or gravel, burnt soil, no grass or greenery. The blackened remains of the buildings...she knew they had been burned, but...It was so obviously a scene of a massive explosion, with the center of it...right...there...

Her eyes widened as she now, with eyes really seeing, saw the transparent figures of the departed. Such suffering, grief, confusion, fear. Her breath caught in her throat - she had not had time to see them before she was made aware.

"I'm going down there!" Kishino decided and jumped to her feet. Karon followed shortly, giving the priest a look that said 'I heard what you said, but I pretend you didn't...'

Kishino straightened her back and her blue eyes darkened.

"And then, when I get back - I shall give the souls the proper rest they cry out for."

* * *

~~~O~~~

They cleared the rest of the unstable area and Kishino stepped up to the center of it. She felt around in front of her with the tip of her long bow, trying to find the weakest point. Once she found it she threw a look over her shoulder at the youkai waiting, and she pulled the neckline of her jumper up over her nose and mouth. She nodded to the crowd - they just stared at her. She patted the hilt of her katana on her left hip and then secured her short bow on her right hip and her long bow was in hand.

"Stay away from the hole in the ground. And clear the area as best you can. I know not what fumes will rise once I break through."

The others nodded in unison, and she took a deep breath, notching an arrow on her long bow.

"Let me go with you, My Lord!" Entu called, but she shook her head.

"It's not safe, not even for me, and I will not risk any of your lives. Wait here. I will return."

She wished she could be as certain as she sounded, that would've been a luxury.

"Here goes..." She exhaled and aimed - then released the arrow at the ground. It flared with a bright ice blue light, and the ground crumbled upon impact. And as it caved in, Kishino's backclad shape disappeared in the dust that mixed with the smoke rising from the cavity below.

Entu wrung his hands while the crowd of youkai slowly inched backwards and away from the hole. He had not known his Lord for a long time, but he disliked the idea of his Lord going down there by himself. What would he do in the meantime?

"We'll make a good worker out of you while Kishino is searching the catacombs." Karon tried to reassure the younger youkai, and Entu nodded. Yes, he could help out up here...make his Lord proud. He'd prove himself useful!

Sinna stared at the hole with deeply worried eyes. This human went through so much for them all, risking so much to aid them. Never had she encountered such a human and judging by the looks on everyone elses faces - neither had they.

* * *

~~~O~~~

Kishino landed softly on the floor far below - having used the same trick with a number of barriers as she had done when leaving the Western Castle. She loosened the rope which hung diagonally around her chest and tied it to the end of one of her long arrows. She shifted the arrow in her hand feeling the weight and balance of it. She had to make sure it'd reach the top with the added weight.

She tightened her grip on her long bow before turning her head to look at the hole in the ceiling up above - trying to determine the distance by eyesight alone through the dust and darkness. The rope would slow the arrow to some extent...but...

"Here comes..." She muttered then notched, pulling it as far back as she felt the bow could manage, set her aim and fired. Up it went ... and over the edge. Some long seconds passed and she waited with baited breath until she felt a tug on the rope - it had been secured. Good. At least it was a possible way out unless something easier presented itself.

The stormy blue eyes then turned to the floor - resulting in her instinctively taking a step back from the body in front of her, then she nimbly leapt to her right when her left heel came in contact with another body. The last thing she needed was for these bloated..ugh..gelatinous remains to burst... The mere memory of...well, it was unpleasant - so she pressed her face mask closer to her nose with one hand while inhaling the crushed pine sap and wild herbs sown into the fabric. Lifesaver. Focus.

She slowly turned around to view the room with light cast from above. It held many similarities to the room in the Northern Lands, she saw many 'beddings' where bodies had been placed, some still lay in their places but that was only because they were in such a state of decomposing that moving them was impossible. And some had unfortunately been hit by the falling debris from the ceiling...man, the smell was spreading fast.

She already knew what had happened to those not present in the grand room and she felt a saddened just thinking of their fates. But she would return here, to this room, later - and put these tormented souls to rest.

"I will return for you.." She promised the spirits in a breathless whisper. It pained her deeply to see these lost souls.

She manoeuvred around the corpses, the dim light from above quickly revealing the only exit out of the room - a tall door. She hoped it wasn't as locked as it appeared - she feared that trying to break down a door would shake up the surrounding structures, and possibly ruin them, and she did not want that on her back - literally AND figuratively speaking.

Well, there was only one way to find out, eh? Luckily she didn't need to find out, though. She heaved a relieved breath when she discovered that a large portion of the lower left side of the door was gone. She'd get through there without trouble - so without further hesitation she snuck through the hole and into the dark of the catacomb tunnels.

* * *

~~~O~~~

Hours seemed to pass. She was annoyingly aware of the fact that she had no idea where she was, where she'd come from, or where she was going. The darkness swollowed absolutely everything down there and she thanked Kami for all the years spent down in the underwater dens. Dark tunnels didn't bother her.

Kishino rolled her shoulders - she'd finally tired of walking around aimlessly. She wondered how far these tunnels spread under the castle and the surrounding lands...

She emptied her lungs then inhaled carefully before flaring her aura to try and sense the Inu Lord - she should be far enough into the maze and away from the blockage. Now, if she could just sense a direction, a small hint, a tiny clue...

She listened, strained her senses in the darkness, tried her best to focus on any changes in the air, anything brushing against her aura in response, but there was nothing... All she heard was faint rumbling...

"Rumbling..." she lost her breath. Her eyes widened as alarms went off in her mind.

Her heart skipped a beat, realizing a little too late that it wasn't the sound of her blood rushing she was hearing. An alarmingly loud cracking sound made her spin around on her heel, her longbow dropped to the stone floor with a loud wooden clank and she threw her hands up to shield herself from the caving tunnel.

. . . ... ... .. . .. ... ... . . .

Silence.

The sounds of rocks hitting rock surface had long since silenced. The dust had settled and lay like a thin, undisturbed layer all over the surfaces in the immediate area.

Ages seemed to pass before the pile of rocks finally shifted.

A bloody hand pushed through the cracks between the larger stones, reaching and clawing for something to get a good grip on. As fingers finally found an edge to clench around on one of the stones it was immediately easier to shift, and not a full minute later it was rolling down and landing on the floor away from the main pile.

She'd been knocked out by the caving ceiling - how annoying! What an utter and complete waste of bloody time! To pass out a little after something like that was perfectly natural she figured, but it didn't make it any less irritating and embarrassing. What had she been thinking just flaring her powers like that in an ancient youkai tunnel?! Man, she needed to think! THINK! She'd been SO good at thinking before! She should've known! Agh! Sesshoumaru made her irrational!

She hissed through tightly clenched teeth when pushing at one of the larger rocks that had landed ontop of her. Yeah, yeah...yep. Her left shin was definitely in trouble, it shouldn't bend like that - and of course now that she saw it, her brain realized just how much it hurt! It made her dizzy for a split second, those telltale stars danced in front of her vision. She felt sick, completely overwhelmed for a moment, but as was her nature now she toughened up and bit back the pain - making one final effort in removing the big stone completely from her person.

"Ow, ow, ow..."

She inhaled deeply and sat up, then put both hands on her damaged left leg. Her expression was one of pure concentration when she coordinated her right foot on top of her left and with help from both hands under her knee pulled the shin-bones so the fractured bone realigned. She snorted a choked whimper, eyes closing while bloodred sparks literally danced behind her eyelids.

She breathed deeply a couple of times then gingerly ran her hands over the left leg - sensing the damage and pouring her healing reiki into her limb as the first thing she did. She'd be of no use to anyone if she didn't look after herself.

"And it's these kinds of things that make you not-human anymore, Kish..." She breathed a couple of time to collect herself. It seemed quieter now, if that was even possible. The term 'deafening silence', if that was ever a thing, made perfect sense now.

She did not know what had done it, her aura or the cave-in, but she sensed it now. Another aura.

A shadow of a smile crossed her features, breaking through the pained grimace. Another aura! And it was one she recognized! Oh sweet something, it was him!

It took some time to heal the broken bone enough to be able to walk on it - longer than she would've liked, but she was relieved when she finally could feel the damage repaired. And though she probably should rest she found no time for it - she'd just have to take the time she'd been passed out as rest, and she couldn't afford more of it.

Wincing slightly at the remaining tenderness in the newly healed left leg she climbed over the pile of rubble and slid down on the other side, following the aura she had sensed. It had disappeared again, which was annoying, which meant the blockage was still in effect.

After turning a corner she became aware of a draft in the air and she blindly felt along the wall to her right and her hand found the edge of a doorway, or a sidetunnel - she couldn't tell in the dark. Though she knew what direction to go to find the aura she sought, the curiosity as to figure out what blocked her senses was strong. And her gut was telling her she should definitely take the sidetunnel. So she did a sharp right turn and ventured into the new tunnel.

"Oh, fuck!" She hissed and her arms shot out to catch her weight before she could dive forwards down what she realized was stairs. She wasn't more than a few steps into the new tunnel!

"Who builds stairs in absolute darkness!?" She focused her reiki to her palm and created a small glowing orb which cast enough light for her to see just how fatal the trip down the stairs could've been.

"Well, bite a bear and hope to live..." She muttered darkly before she began heading down the stairs - the steps were slippery, covered in moist algae or moss, and had not been used in the past decade at the minimum. She knew this from the little biology she remembered from school and her time in this era had given her much time to observe nature.

The air was staler down here, almost unbreathable. It reminded her of abandoned dungeons...which was confirmed once she stood at the bottom of the stairs glancing through the barred door into the room which held several barred cells.

"Who...goes...?" A raspy voice nearly scared her soul right out of her body - she was too startled to even make a sound, but her whole body froze.

"Who...brings...light...?"

"I do." She responded calmly and touched the barred door only to have it crumble into rusted dust against her palm.

"Who are you?!" The priest demanded and a low, wheezing cackle reached her ears. She shrugged and went into the room with all the holding cells.

"In which cell are you contained?"

"Innermost...right..."

Kishino inhaled as deeply as she dared and walked the distance required to get her to the innermost cell to the right. She blinked at the sight that met her.

"Eagle!" she sneered venomously, but the large bird only cocked its head to the side.

"You...bring...light..." the bird youkai cawed hoarsely and Kishino held up her hand with the glowing reiki orb.

"Miko!" The eagle hissed, unfolding its enormous, barely feathered wings in a pathetic attempt at defending itself.

"Priest." Kishino corrected the bird, and the bird folded its wings and cocked its head again.

"You are blocking my senses, youkai."

The eagle's neck was sure to break soon if that head was cocked more to the side now, it was nearly looking at her from an upside-down angle. It did not reply to her. Holding up the glowing orb she got a better look at the eagle. It was a sad sight to behold, more skin and bones than anything else, a pile of feathers lay on the floor beneath the rusty perch it sat on, leaving most of its skin uncovered. To think this was supposed to be one of those majestic eagle youkai...

A twinge of pity stabbed at Kishino's heart (inwardly she was sighing deeply at herself) and she touched the barred door to the cell and it crumbled just like the door into the prison - and she wondered why the eagle had not left if the doors were in such poor condition.

"Come...closer...human..." the hoarse voice cawed, and despite her scepticism Kishino complied - stepping into the cell with the eagle youkai.

"You're blind..." she stated calmly. The milky white sheen covering the eagle's eyes made that conclusion easy.

"They...took my eyes..."

"For what crimes..."

"I was deceived!" the eagle snapped its strong beak and it was Kishino's turn to cock her head.

"You are not afraid?" The eagle blinked its unseeing eyes.

"I am not."

"Why?"

"I've dealt with youkai in far better shape than you, and killed my share of your kind over the time I have walked these lands, so no - I do not fear you."

"Good." The eagle lowered it's head in an unexpected show of respect. Its voice, the more it was used, became less hoarse and more understandable. She heard it was male.

"It has been a long time since This One has met one of your caliber..."

"You block the extrasensory abilities of not only myself but many others."

"As is my kind's gift and curse - unused for so many centuries my aura has no other release than to cover these underground tunnels."

"Hn..." Kishino scoffed.

"I need you to reel it in, youkai - I am in search of my ally who I suspect is kept down in these and you are keeping me from locating him."

The eagle cackled hoarsely again.

"I was never a friend to humans or those of holy powers, but you brought light to my cell, priest - so I will grant your request."

It took a few minutes, but Kishino felt the blockage receed and again she could pick up the trace of Sesshoumaru's aura.

"Give me your name, human."

"I am Kishino Hito. I will ask yours in return."

"I am Kiru Akila!" The few feathers the eagle still had bristled proudly.

"Kiru Akila, your cell is open, you may leave if you wish." Kishino turned to leave, but sensed the hesitant aura of the eagle clearly. The bird was sightless, and its sense of smell couldn't be very good after being trapped down here for so long...it was a living skeleton and had no physical strength to move, nor did it have enough feathers to allow it flight. How would it navigate, or even know what way was out?

"If you will allow, Kiru Akila, I will take you with me."

The eagle didn't respond, but Kishino sensed the reluctant relief and the even greater disbelief.

"Why would you aid a youkai such as I?"

"Because I am not like any other you have met before." Kishino walked up to the eagle and held out her arm, brushing it against the taloned feet which grasped the perch. Though the eagle was hesitant to use the human arm as a new perch, he really didn't have any other option, and so the long talons found and locked around the left lower arm of the priest. Kishino marvelled at the light weight of the large bird, but once again took into consideration it's physical condition.

"Keep your balance so I may keep mine."

"You're a special human..." the eagle admitted, and Kishino snorted humorlessly while making it back up the slippery stairs while trying to balance an eagle on her left arm and keeping the light orb in her right hand so she could see where she was going.

Coming to the top of the stairs she exhaled slowly, drawing the orb into her hand and letting the darkness envelop them both.

"Kiru Akila, I will leave you here wile I find my ally. Do not move, I will return to bring you with me to the surface once I've located him." She placed the eagle down on the ground and frowned when heard how it flexed its long talons insecurely against the rock floor.

"Here..." She muttered and reached behind her to one of the small pouches she always kept with her, fishing out a slice of dried meat.

"Entertain yourself." She tapped the meat against the beak and the eagle opened up, surprised to find it was food.

"I'll be back..." Kishino then continued down the hall as she had intended before finding the dungeons.

After twenty minutes, give or take, she came to a large stone door. She knew this because the massive doorhandles made a mean contact with the bridge of her nose in the dark. Great. Ok, breathing time! She leaned heavily on the wall by the doors, taking weight off her left leg for a moment. She pressed her left palm against the cold surface of the door, but it didn't even show the tiniest signs of budging. Why couldn't things just be EASY some times?!

The aura she sought was on the other side! Damnit! She tried pushing with her full body weight on the double stone doors, then pulling. They really did not budge. Youkai doors! Of course it wouldn't just let a non-youkai pass! Frustrated, she slammed her fists against the stone, but that did little to move it of course.

"Argh!" She leaned her back against the doors, running her fingers through her hair while trying to think. She sensed him.

Was he in there?

He was.

Her eyes lit up as she felt the response.

Was he alright?

He lived.

She grimaced. She could only get so much from his aura from where she was stood right now. She had to get through the doors!

Was she alright? She sensed the question and rolled her eyes. Though hesitating slightly she assured him she was fine.

She stepped back from the door while grabbing her short bow in her left hand. One of the short arrows were twirled in her right hand as she thought about how to do this. Lighting the arrow up with her reiki she could fully view the massive doors. She gazed at the inscriptions on the doors, and the carvings - bears. Strong. Proud. Ancient. She didn't like the idea that she'd have to ruin those carvings, but needs must.

The fact that the door and the surrounding structure would collapse was a given. She was prepared to live with that on her conscience. She picked out a second arrow, then a third while the plan played out in her head - trying out different scenes in her mind to try and predict which outcome would be the best.

Finally she strung the short bow, notching the first arrow while the second and third were secure between her teeth. The arrow increased it's glow the moment she released it, followed by the second, then the third without pause between them.

The first hit the left side of the stone doors, second lodged itself into the stones at the top pf the doors, the third on the right side.

With reiki aiding her movement she ran - towards the arrows, towards the door - all while transferring bursts of reiki into the projectiles which each caused a small explosion. The doors cracked, then they began collapsing as predicted, the ceiling in the tunnel and on the immediate inside would also be falling - as she'd thought.

She let herself drop to her knees and slid under the explosions, curving her arms over her face, hands pointed at the crumbling structure - her focus solely on guiding the reiki so it contained the debris and kept her from getting crushed a second time that day. And it worked. When she was out of the danger zone she recalled the arrows to her hand and the entire doorway collapsed in on itself - leaving a wall of uneven sized stones in the place of the door. She cringed slightly at the much hated sound of cracking stone and stone impacting with stone.

She sensed for the aura in the dark room, and found him easily enough. He had not moved - that was strange.

She lit a short arrow with her reiki - and she encased it in a bubble made from her powers and pushed it up into the air. It'd hover further up and cast light enough for her human eyes to see properly.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" She spotted the white fabric of his clothes. He sat with his back leaned against the wall, one knee drawn up and his right arm resting ontop of it. So casual yet regal. So typical him.

His eyes moved slowly to her form, and she tilted her head. There was something she was missing here...she prodded at his aura with hers, which he rejected. He was annoyed. Why? She took a few moments to intently study him. Then it dawned on her.

"You can't move..." She whispered - it was more a statement than a question. He was paralyzed.

She came up to his side and placed a hand on his left arm, but was surprised to find he protested against her attempt to start healing him.

The Eastern Lord.

She blinked, slowly, then looked to where his golden gaze settled. And she spotted the large bear youkai not many feet from them. Oh he was in a bad state alright. Barely breathing!

"Is he..."

Sesshoumaru confirmed it, and she cursed under her breath before she left the Inu Lord's side to go to the bigger male. He was already bleeding from his nose and mouth, frothing, tremors running through his bulky body. He clearly sensed the presence of her powers because his eyes moved to the black figure on his side and he let out a spine-shaking growl. Kishino felt gooseflesh spread up her arms. Should this strong youkai even be this affected after only one and a half day?

"I am Kishino Hito, My Lord..." she whispered in a surprisingly steady tone, she couldn't risk him attacking her in his weakened state. She prayed he remembered the name.

"I am here to help. I need you to trust me or you will perish."

The bear youkai didn't growl again - she had no way of knowing whether it was out of acceptance or because he simply couldn't. Time was of the essence, this was a living victim! Not a corpse...yet.

"Kami help us through this..." She muttered before she quickly turned the bear onto his side to secure his airways. She tore open his clothes then created a two inch long incision on the bear's chest. Next she cut her right palm.

Behind her she felt Sesshoumaru's objecting aura. No! Not that! Not here! He couldn't get her out of here in time if he worst happened!

"Well you insisted I heal him first!" She spat over her shoulder, eyes narrowing when she felt his ice cold rage, but still she pushed her palm against the youkai bear's chest.

She used her reiki to guide her own blood through the bear's system, purifying what she could of the beginning flesh decay and disease which already ate at the strong body, she focused on drawing out the toxins that had started the cruel process into her own bloodstream. She had to see if it would be purified when contained in her bloodstream, hoping her body had adapted from the last encounter.

The bear watched the mask of concentration on the human's face - he felt the healing effect almost immediately - but the better he felt the worse the priest looked. Lord Suiko didn't fully understand what the priest was doing, but whatever it was it was working!

Kishino snorted slightly when blood began trickling from her nose. She felt numb, but not the good kind. Burning numb, like frostbite spreading through her body. She inhaled deeply, hearing how it rasped, her airways were already constricting. She had to find a steady breathing pattern that she could keep up...

She kept her gaze on her hand, knowing that she could stop when her veins turned a blackish blue. Man, her arm felt so heavy - her body felt so heavy...

Stop! NOW!

She ignored the demand from Sesshoumaru's aura, and she felt his rage burn stronger - was there a hint of fear there as well? He worried for her?

That could be her imagination, because right now her head was spinning - her eyesight was darkening around the edges and she felt the thick trickle of blood down her cheeks as it dripped from the corners of her eyes. She recognized this. Her body started trembling violently, threatening to shut down - ok, time to stop...

Kishino pushed one final spell through her palm to seal the bear's wound then threw her head back to try and open her airways for a deep breath, but it was not much help - she could not will her lungs to inhale. Behind her she felt Sesshoumaru's struggle, but she could not help him right now - which she regretted not doing first despite his protest.

The Bear Lord started moving, and so did she. She found a hidden storage of strength and stumbled away from both the Lords as fast as her failing body could manage.

"Hito-sama!" The bear's rumbling voice sounded more like a buzz to her.

"Stay away..." she pressed out with a voice not her own, finding the wall on the far side of the large room and sliding down to the floor.

The burning in every limb continued, like a thousand needles, like REALLY bad acupuncture drilling down through her muscles, into her bones, through her bones! She gasped for air like a fish out of water, but got nothing. She focused her gaze on her right arm, though her eyesight was pretty much gone she saw the stark blackish colour against her paling skin - the black had spread through the veins to well past her elbow - and she knew it would go straight for her heart, and she had no way of knowing how far it had gotten thanks to her jumper. She had no control over her body, she couldn't move. The pain had gone, she couldn't feel anything.

The same type of seizures started this time as well, despite her paralysis - violent tremors that had her body arching and twisting in inhuman ways. She was conscious, but had no control over her body. No screams sounded, but she would've if she could've. Her bloodstreaked face twisted in horrid grimaces of pain she could not feel.

Again she came to the realisation that her blood alone wouldn't purify whatever toxin or poison she'd taken into her system - and like before she realized this almost too late.

She couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't smell, couldn't breathe. The lack of oxygen had unconsciousness lurking dangerously close. Just as she reached inside herself for her powers, her body grew limp - sagging against the wall with blood dripping from her ears, nose, mouth and eyes.

Lord Suiko threw a look at the Western Lord. Though paralyzed, the Inu's eyes were bleeding red. He was not liking what was happening! The bear frowned and glanced towards the wall where they could see the young priest's struggle - until he struggled no more.

The arrow inside the reiki bubble stopped glowing and fell to the floor.

Sesshoumaru counted the seconds. The longer he counted, the more frustrated he felt. She could NOT go like this!

Then the priest exploded in a bright light, causing Lord Suiko to go flying into the wall next to Sesshoumaru, his tough skin was getting singed by the unrestrained power and his thunderous growl of pain shook the entire room - but another's growl was louder.

The same power that burned the Eastern Lord purified the paralysis in Sesshoumaru's system, and he was by the priest's side before the light had fully dimmed.

"You FOOL of a human!" He snarled with poorly contained anger as he lifted the unmoving form into his arms.

"Yeah..." Kishino whispered hoarsely, more a rasping gasp than a pronounced word. She was not with it at all, her head falling to the side and resting against the youkai's shoulder.

Sesshoumaru growled in frustration and buried his nose into the black hair at the top of the human's head. Idiotic human! Erratic, stubborn, insane human!

"Lord Sesshoumaru, I suggest we get out of this place now." Lord Suiko called, looking around.

"I'm afraid that last burst of power from the priest was a little more than this construction can handle."

"Indeed." Sesshoumaru scoffed.

"Kishino, way out!" He snapped, hoping she was aware enough.

"Burial chamber...rope to the top..."

Sesshoumaru heard the slow pulse and the faint heartbeat, and sensed how her body struggled. She wasn't in the clear just yet. Lord Suiko confirmed there exits from the catacombs and tunnels were through the burial chamber, so that was the way to go in any case. Both Taiyoukai rushed, the bear cleared the way with his impressive strength and Sesshoumaru's sense of smell mapped out which way Kishino had gone.

"Eagle...take him with..." Kishino wheezed, and Sesshoumaru spotted the scrawny bird on the floor. He sneered, but Kishino wouldn't have said to bring the eagle unless she thought it important. He shifted his grip on the human, cradling her with one arm, then used his other arm to pick up the bird off the floor - resulting in the avian youkai cawing in protest.

They found the grand room relatively fast. Kishino would've been annoyed by how fast after the HOURS she had spent wandering around down there, but she was fortunate enough to be more or less unconscious.

Lord Suiko coiled the rope around his arm and tugged on it, and was almost instantly pulled up. Sesshoumaru took the easier route and summoned his youki cloud, soaring upwards.

He hadn't even landed before the cries sounded through the crowd. As the Inu looked around at the crowd of mainly bear youkai, some cat youkai and others he couldn't determine right now, he noticed the gazes were mainly on the little human in his arms. What had this impossible girl been up to before she nearly died - again?

He snarled warningly at a white feline female who gestured for him to hand her the priest - he clutched said priest tighter in his arms. He didn't trust them enough to allow them near...this particular human.

"My Lord Sesshoumaru - will Kishino, I mean; Hito-sama, be alright?" One of Lord Suiko's Generals plowed his way through the crowd. Sesshoumaru vaguely recalled his name. Karon.

"Hn. Too soon to tell. He's overexerted himself."

"You should let Sinna have a look at him - she is our best healer, and she has taken quite a liking to your companion - she will not let him die." The bear youkai bowed his head in respect and the white cat youkai stepped forth again, but Sesshoumaru passed her the eagle instead.

"Hito-sama insisted we bring this. Take care of him till we get back, or face his wrath." He was then gone before they could tell which direction he'd disappeared to. And gone with him was Kishino.

Lord Suiko rubbed his chin, gazing around at his Castle grounds. He had no doubt the Lord of the West would return to discuss what had taken place here. He trusted the Inu Lord would take his ally somewhere to be healed. Meanwhile, look at the Castle grounds...what a mess...

He looked to the eagle in Sinna's arms.

"And where, pray tell, did Hito-sama find you?!"

* * *

~~O~~

Kishino came to herself when the moon was high in the night sky. She groaned and sat up in the soft moss, rubbing her head with both hands.

"Fuck." She grit her teeth and grimacing slightly, feeling the dried blood crack on her cheeks. Her jaw clicked, softening her jawline and returning the more feminine lines to her face.

She brought her fingers to her eyes and started to carefully peel the caked blood from her eyelashes so she could open her eyes. She missed SEEING things after all the hours spent down in the tunnels.

"This One told you to stop!"

"Since when have I listened to a direct order straight away?" she replied sarcastically, still picking at her eyes.

He only growled warningly at her - she'd have rolled her eyes had she been able to at the moment.

"Hot spring, huh?" She could smell it.

"You need to wash."

"You telling me I smell bad?"

"There is too much of your own blood on your person."

"Hah! Yeah, funny that..."

She finally managed to crack her eyes open and blinked a couple of times, her gaze almost instantly locking on the white silhouette of the Inu Lord. He stood by one of the many trees surrounding the small clearing, arms crossed and face turned away from her. That was one upset Inu Youkai. She could recognize one from miles away!...but she'd stay clear of making a point of how much he and Inuyasha were alike when like that. She'd never really seen Sesshoumaru so openly upset, it was almost worrying.

Kishino shrugged and pushed herself to her feet, groaning softly at the stiffness and soreness in her muscles and joints before she began the tedious task of tugging her jumper up over her head. Well, he'd said she needed a bath, so... Man, her arms felt heavier the higher she lifted them. She'd turned her back to Sesshoumaru, knowing what a 'prude' he was, but she did ask him to turn around for the rest of her undressing.

"Oh maaaan..."

Sesshoumaru threw a cautious gaze through the corner of his eye as he heard the almost painfilled whimper.

Only Kishino's head was visible over the water's surface. Something was different. He saw it now.

"You cut your hair." He wasn't sure why he attempted to start up a conversation with her. He was angry with her for her recklessness! And he had the right to be! She'd disobeyed his order to stop!

"I did."

The Inu Lord wanted to grit his teeth at her reply. Not much to build a conversation on! She was as impossible to deal with as she was infuriating! Then he sensed her amused aura - and now he growled sharply in warning.

"I cut it every now and again, Sesshoumaru. I figured it was about time I rid myself of some of its length..."

Kishino submerged and rubbed her hands furiously over her face, scrubbing away the dried blood. When she surfaced for air she raked her fingers through her hair, actually finding that she was extremely happy with her shorter hair - so much easier to rinse! She ignored the brooding Inu for now - he would tell her off in time, she had no doubt about that - so she took her time with the washing.

After a while, when her fingertips were pruned she decided she was clean enough, so she reached into the water and pulled out her clothes - tossing them, soaked and rinsed, over the big stones around the hot spring to dry. As she did, Sesshoumaru got a good glimpse of the skin on her back and right side. Scars. Many of them. How many times had she been lethally wounded over the years?

"Kishino..."

"I'm sure you'd have come for me, too, had I been the one to mysteriously disappear." She interrupted him, daring a glance over her shoulder at him.

"Will you die every time?"

"I didn't die, now did I!?" She cast the sharp reply over her shoulder and felt the rage in his burning aura.

"I'll make it - I've made it so far, ne? I didn't die! That's too dramatic for you, Sesshoumaru!" She shrugged her shoulders, sitting in the water with her back against the rocks. No getting out while he was present, that was for sure. She wasn't bothered, but the last time she'd gotten out of the bath in the north she'd not heard the end of it... She had nothing to dry off with anyway - so she let the soothing heat of the water ease the sore muscles for a while longer.

"Let it go, Sesshoumaru! I did what I had to do!" She snapped irritably when HIS irritation saturated the entire area around the hot spring.

"This One forbids it!"

"You forbid what?" she sighed tiredly.

"You will not put your life in danger like that again!"

"Not your decision to make, but your concern has been noted."

She revelled in the silence that followed, and she knew he'd left. Her eyebrows rose in a half amused, half annoyed fashion, then got stuck up high in surprise as his aura returned.

She saw his shadow in the water, and stole a sideways glance at the ethereal vision he made standing with the moonlight behind him. He stood on the edge of the hot spring, holding out her white haori to her and she understood the gesture - quickly climbing out of the water and right into the dry and warm garment of her trusted haori - he had his head respectfully turned away, bless him.

She studied his profile in the moonlight. How beautiful he was...it almost hurt her heart to watch him. His golden orbs shifted and he glanced at her through the corner of his eye. She tilted her head, and offered him a grateful smile.

"Thank you..." she whispered, receiving only a short nod in reply.

As she wrapped her haori around herself she buried her nose into the neckline and inhaled deeply. It smelled like home, of salty sea air, of Tsuren, of the forest and meadows...

Kami, she was so tired...

* * *

~~~O~~~

His eyes rested on her sleeping form, curled up on the ground in her white haori. He would keep watch tonight - she was in no state to secure the area with her barriers.

Right now she wasn't that strong warrior-priest lands had come to know her as - she reminded him more of that young girl from the past, yet she wasn't. Sleeping soundly under the tree, with the moon on her skin, waterdroplets still lingering on the ink black eyelashes - an image of innocence, of youth, of something good in this world.

Her barriers were down, exhaustion had left her defenseless - which would be natural after the kind of day she'd had. Had he left her side now, anyone could've come along and taken her life before she had the chance to realize what had happened - so he used his own barriers to block the area. No one would come near this particular place this night.

It bothered him to think about it. It unsettled himself and his inner youkai, his beast. She'd faced down an enemy he could not fight in her place, and she had done so without hesitating or even thinking about the consequences for her own life. He did not like that. When had he ever cared for a human life other than Rin's? This also bothered him.

Never.

But he cared what happened to this particular human. He found his protective instincts rise every time she put herself in dangerous situations. It bothered him - and that in itself was unsettling.

She defied him whenever she got the chance, she interrupted him all the time, she was by far the only one who dared argue with him and tell him his opinion was of little importance. She disobeyed his direct orders and did not grovel at his feet and beg for forgiveness and mercy when he openly displayed how displeased he was with her actions. She always had a sarcastic reply on hand, she dared ignore him - she was everything he detested. She was an instability in his otherwise steady nature and lifestyle.

And it bothered him, what she'd said - _would_ he have come for her if she'd suddenly disappeared?

He looked up at the sky. Dawn was soon upon them. And yes. Yes, he would've come for her.

~~~O~~~

* * *

 **A.N.: Hey everyone! Wanna know how sad my humour is? Has anyone figured out why I decided to name the rat Entu? N-2? Number two? HA! I'm hilarious! XD *snicker* Now that is all you'll think of whenever the rat's present in the story. *snort* Man, I kill myself sometimes!**


	20. Making sense of Things

**Disclaimer:** _ **I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

* * *

 **A.N.:** _Woooo, update! Alrighty, some carifications! Um...yeah. That. Get it? No...hm._

 _I feel like my chapters are lagging compared to the expectations and all I can think is: "I haven't gotten there yet!" XD_  
 _Answers will be given in this chapter in regards to whom the poison affects, however, so there's that ;) Remember I write purely on whim, so I don't always know my own reasons for adding 'this' and 'that' or 'who', I go with the good ol' gut-feeling and work with what my mind gives me.  
I shall admit that bringing the blind eagle into the story was a whim I could not control, but he fit in so nicely I just went with it - he might be important to the story further out in the plot, don't know yet (gut-feeing)! :P Answers to why the eagle behaved as he did when first meeting Kishino will be revealed soon enough - so buckle up and keep hands and feet inside the vehicle whenever it is required ;)  
_

 _I might've given the impression that there was major crossroads for this chapter. Well, I made some choices, cracked some eggs and made an omelette, and...sorry guys, I went for the suspense. I'm such a sucker for it, I couldn't help myself! ... lalalalalala can't hear you! ;P I actually prefer scrambled eggs, not omelettes..._

 _I really appreciate your comments, I really do! I cannot thank you enough for your great feedbacks! I had never in my wildest dreams thought this story would get any attention at all, so - thank you!_

 _Anyway, I'm done taking up time here, and I need more coffee. Go ahead and read :)_

 **~Noctus**

~~~O~~~

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY - MAKING SENSE OF THINGS**

* * *

~~~O~~~

And so Sesshoumaru pondered the human's existence and her role in everything that had happened recently, and that was still happening. His logical mind concluded that his 'care' for the strange creature was because she was a temporary pack-member, and that was all! That would explain the protective instinct he experienced as alpha male. One must protect pack, otherwise one is not alpha.

He wouldn't miss her or anything like that the day they went separate ways - he wold be relieved to no longer have to deal with her illogical behaviour and her erratic behaviour, not to mention her blatant disregard of titles and status!

All lies. He growled to himself and his inner conflict regarding that subject.

He lied to himself, he knew this because his beast laughed at him in the back of his mind. How he fooled himself if he didn't think his life would feel empty once this quest was over and her presence in it was gone.

The inner youkai beast made him relive the pang of concern he'd felt when he saw the glowing arrow dim and fall to the floor down in the catacombs. His eyes closed briefly. When he saw that happen - something inside his chest had tightened.

He was not an emotional being - he'd been called emotionally constipated both by his brother, his Heir, and even Rin when she was upset. He resented that. He simply didn't find emotions useful - they were a hindrance and clouded the mind. Twice now she'd let that poison enter her own bloodstream - and twice she had almost ventured over to the other side because of it. Though she was the embodyment of the Sikon no Tama now, how much could her body really take before it could take no more? It irked him how this concerned him.

He shook his head slightly and crossed the small clearing, stopping once he was in front of the sleeping girl. He could kill her now and not have to worry about what happened next, it would be easy for him to just... His clawed hands flexed. He could...! But yet, he knew he would never do such a thing - why!? He exhaled a sigh and sat down with his back against the tree she rested under. His clawed left hand moved on its own and he felt the soft black hair on her head against his palm.

"What's got you so mellow?" Her sleepy murmur was not lost to his excellent hearing.

"This poison..."

"M-hm..."

"This One is...concerned...that if your body is exposed to the same poison one more time, you will not make it."

He heard her scoff, and glanced down at her when she shifted, rolling over so she was facing him instead of laying with her back to him. His eyes widened a fraction when her head moved to rest on his left thigh. Her eyes were closed - was it a conscious move on her part? Her aura was cloaked, he could not read her. This woman was capable of hiding herself from him completely - and it irked him greatly. And she dared place her head so comfortable on his person! He growled, but she cut him short by speaking:

"If I don't make it a third time..." She inhaled lazily and cracked one eye open to glance up at his once more emotionless face.

"Then I leave my ward in your care. I want him to learn about youkai society on land - I don't wish for him to be confined to the ocean and the underwater dens...I want an education for him, a good life...you did good with Shippou..."

"You speak nonsense!"

"I am speaking realistically!"

"You're a fool!"

"A realistic fool!"

He clenched his hand into her hair as a light warning, but she only scoffed softly and nuzzled into the muscled thigh under the white fabric, noticing how his entire body tensed - but frankly she didn't give a damn right now, and they stayed like that - completely silent for a long time. She figured he would've pushed her away had he really found it too unbearable.

"If you try to think positively: maybe the third time I'll do better - building immunity and all that..." She finally broke the tense silence and decided she'd tormented him enough by shifting so her head instead rested in her hand while still laying on her side.

"Foolish!" he scoffed quietly at her.

She chuckled darkly then, and did the most childish thing she could think of; she stuck out her tongue at him.

"I'm going back down there..." She was awake now, so might as well discuss 'business'.

"Hn..." His aura protested against hers. He was not happy about that.

"You promised you wouldn't hinder me." She sat up, adjusting her haori so she was decently covered, and leaned against the tree, her right shoulder resting against the trunk right next to his left shoulder. The hand he had had in her hair had fallen to the ground and he did not move it.

She kept her eyes on his face - there was conflict in his eyes. Kishino could see just how badly he wanted to tell her to stay the hell away from that place - but he had to honour his promise to her.

"Hey..." Her left hand rose and fingertips brushed against the aristocratic chin, turning his face towards her so she could look at him directly. It was a bold move on her part. No one touched the Western Lord, and he made that clear by locking his hand around her wrist and tear her hand away from his face. She met his blazing eyes unafraid and merely flexed her fingers, managing to poke his chin. So touching his chin was worse than nuzzling his leg? Wow...

"I promise you I will think twice before attempting to purify the poison with my own blood again. Twice is more than enough for me, too."

The golden eyes held her stormy blue in a firm gaze. The edges of his eyes were shifting between red and white before he leaned down to her and brushed his nose against her left temple.

Kishino's eyes widened. She remained perfectly still, didn't even breathe - understanding that this... THIS wasn't something that happened every day. Should she punch him? Purify him? He was really close! His aura felt conflicted, however - as if he didn't quite know why he'd done that. It didn't stop her heart from skipping a beat though - this was not something she'd expected from someone like Sesshoumaru - not in a thousand lifetimes!

"Uhh, mind telling me what this very strange show of confusing affection means?" She cleared her throat when he didn't move or respond. She attempted to lean away slightly, but a marrow-freezing growl emitted from the powerful youkai's throat and she stilled her movements completely.

She ransacked her mind for everything she had learned of the different kinds of youkai over the years. She could sense the fiercely wild aura and knew that it was more likely the inner youkai who was in control at the moment.

Come on, think...Inu youkai, dogs...icesickles... Sesshoumaru wasn't one to suddenly show affection like that - unless...

She blinked a couple of times. Unless...he was inviting her to the pack... Well, not HE per se, but his beast. This was the friendlier way - had they been fighting he'd have clamped down on her jugular until she submitted. So subconsciously he saw her as pack. That was...almost nice to know! Well, the only way to find out and be sure was to acknowledge him, wasn't it? She exhaled softly. He'd better not hold it over her head how she'd submitted to him later.

"Alpha." She stated in a firm tone, then turned her head and brushed her nose along the Inu Lord's jawline, then let her head drop to the side slightly to expose her vulnerable throat to him.

He withdrew then, and she stared into the blue slitted pupils in the otherwise completely red eyes.

"Sesshoumaru, I'm only inclined to play along with this for so long. Get a hold of yourself or I swear I'll burn you..."

The inu Youkai blinked slowly, and then the red gave way for gold and she exhaled.

"There you are, I was worried there for a second."

"Hn." He replied coolly and averted his gaze as if SHE had insulted his person.

Kishino merely arched an eyebrow - oh, get off that high horse, your majesty! She poked his arm with a finger and got no response - so naturally she repeated the action.

"Woman, you will cease your ridiculous assault on This Sesshoumaru!"

"So what was that about, Sesshoumaru?"

"You're now pack."

"I wasn't before?"

"Temporary pack. Extended pack. Distant pack."

"Ah. So now I'm in the main pack?!

"Hn."

Kishino shrugged and rubbed the back of her head. Well, she hadn't expected that, actually.

"I take it you and your beast don't see eye to eye on this?"

"No."

Kishino grinned. In her original Era this could've easily passed as a serious personality-disorder...She had her future education all set. Youkai psychologist! She'd be an expert within a century or so, she reckoned. With those encouraging thoughts she rose from her seat and made sure the haori was securely wrapped around herself, then brushed off imaginable dust along with some actual dust (and grass).

"Well, with that awkward moment over and done with, I think I shall go get dressed."

"Your haori suits you better."

Oh, he was up for a banter now? Fine, she'd play. She pursed her lips slightly and threw him a sultry look while a wicked gleam shone in her eyes.

"Perhaps I'll wear it just like this from now on then, show off my legs like in the past, hm? Loosen up the neckline a little to show people what I've been hiding for so long?"

"Have you no sense of modesty, human?"

"None whatsoever!" She replied brightly and smirked when he glared. Did he not catch on to her sarcasm? She rolled her eyes, unable not to.

"Or did you mean I should wear the haori only for you?" She teased him, clearly faking the suddenly innocent expression on her face upon seeing his scowl intensify.

"Disrespectul creature!"

"So I'm a creature now?"

"Hn."

"Ha, I'll take that as an upgrade!"

Kishino rolled her eyes, grinning as the normal tone between them was restored - getting her clothes ready for dressing. She was aware that he was keeping his eyes on her, but she couldn't be bothered. Let him stare for all she cared, she was SO many years past virginal shyness. For crying out loud, had Fate let her be a normal human she'd be closing in on forty years now - by this time's standards an aged woman.

She donned the black dyed linens around her upper torso while the haori hung across her shoulders - exhaling and emptying her lungs completely of air while tightening them properly around her chest. Her armour was next. It was skillfully tied on around her torso and she tightened the ropes with a small scoff. She was highly aware of the fact that Sesshoumaru was watching intently now as she went through this process of dressing. She was glad she'd had the brains about her to put on her personally designed underwear earlier when getting out of the hot spring, so she wouldn't accidentally 'flash' the youkai if she had to bend over.

Her jumper was still a bit damp she noticed, but she put it on anyway and like she always did, she patted her hands down her now flat torso to feel everything fitting as it should. She removed the haori then and folded it neatly. The white material was placed down on the ground as she grabbed the flowy hakamas.

"What happened to your left leg?" The stoic voice of the Taiyoukai cut the air like a knife.

Kishino had been caught up in her own mind while dressing and upon hearing his question cast a glance down to her bare leg and blinked several times - there was a massive bruise covering most of the shin and calf. How had she not noticed that when bathing? Perhaps the warm water helped dilate the small blood-vessels so the bruise could properly form... Sesshoumaru's aura grew impatient, and she growled at him.

"Broke it, healed it, all is good." She literally jumped into the flowy black hakamas and tightened it around her waist with a finely woven rope before wrapping the silver obi around her hips and lower midsection and then fastening her katana on her left hip.

When she sat down to pull her boots on, she heard him shift and without looking up from her task she knew he was standing in front of her. After tucking the hakama into the boot she was currently doing she reached for her second boot, and was surprised to find it missing. Instantly she glared up at the whiteclad Inu and frowned in irritation as he seemed to be inspecting it.

"Your boots are cut from a good material...Thin soles, but the leather is made to endure..."

"Give me my boot, Sesshoumaru."

"This One is not done inspecting it."

"What is there to inspect!? It's a boot! And I want it back - now!"

There was a strange glint in the golden orbs then, and Kishino watched with a mix of horror and amusement as the Lord took a step back, holding the boot up over his head.

"Seriously?" She pushed herself to her feet and walked towards him, while he stepped backwards away from her.

"Sesshoumaru! Give. It. Back!"

"You dare give your Alpha orders, that must be punished."

"By taking my BOOT!?"

"Hn!"

"Give it back!" She jumped to try and reach it, but he stepped away and held it out of reach again.

Growling, she leapt at it once more, but he avoided her with ease this time around as well.

"You're such a dog!"

"This One resents that statement..."

For close to half an hour she chased him trying to get back her footwear. It was a game of lunging and dodging, leaping and ducking, sidestepping and quick turns - like an intricate dance around the small clearing. Her irritation faded when she realized he was playing and she'd taken the bait - even more astounding was it to learn that it seemed like they were actually having something related to fun - almost, kind of.

"Give!"

He sidestepped once again and she let out an impressive growl.

"Sesshoumaru!"

* * *

~~~O~~~

She got her boot in the end, after getting hold of his hair in a lucky lunge and refusing to let go until he handed back what was hers! Sesshoumaru had left to hunt for something to eat not long after when her stomach growled loudly. She hadn't realized how hungry she really was until that moment.

Kishino made good use of the alone-time, focusing on meditating and to purify her blood of any possible remaining toxins while mentally preparing herself for the upcoming event of putting all those souls to rest. That was her goal now. She felt her powers flow freely through her entire being, from the top of her head to her toes. It was warm and cold at the same time, soft and sharp, tamed and volatile, nurturing and lethal. She expanded her powers and let it cover her skin completely - making her a living human flashlight (in her own mind). She felt the last of the recent cuts and bruises heal and whatever remnants of the toxin was purified. A sense of peace came over her once she centered her powers again, reigning it all in and once more containing it within herself until she called upon it again.

She was brought back to reality when a loud thud sounded and she tilted her head at the deer in front of her. She blinked slowly at the sight of the gutted and skinned animal, then narrowed her eyes slightly at the Inu Lord. He stared impassively at her and she could not read him. Had he just presented her with his kill? Because that kinda meant something among Inu Youkai...especially if done by the Alpha.

"Did Inuyasha never bring his kills back like this? This Sesshoumaru sees the look in your eyes..."

"Uh. No, he didn't. What he caught he tossed unceremoniously at my feet and expected me to gut and skin it myself, then cook it - but mostly he avoided hunting as I provided him with ramen from my time. So this is a first for me." She admitted with a half-smile.

"Hn. This Sesshoumaru will allow you to pick your favourite piece of meat first."

"Sesshoumaru..." she hesitated, a frown creeping onto her brows.

"This is a mere token of gratitude for what you've already done for the Lords, and for This One, so far. Today you nearly died for the second time in two weeks - This One believes you have earned the first pick of meat. The Alpha provides for his pack."

"Maybe I did die down in those catacombs. Lord Sesshoumaru offering a human to select meat from a kill before himself..." she chuckled.

"Did you forget you were upgraded to creature?"

"And I'm convinced I'm alive again, thanks for that!" Kishino snorted, a small smile on her lips - her mind easier now, and she chose one of the long muscles in the deer's neck for herself. The meat was speared on one of her arrows and put it to roast on the fire while Sesshoumaru picked his favourite pieces and sliced them up to eat them raw.

* * *

~~~O~~~

"What have you learned?"

She cast him a quick glance. They had eaten their meal in silence, both occupied with their own thoughts and minds - and now it was time to compare notes on what they'd learned over the past three days.

"Well I can confirm that the ill-doer is from the South, and I have identified the toxin."

"This Sesshoumaru has concluded the same. What of the poison?"

"It's not poison exactly..." She hesitated slightly, thinking of how to phrase herself next.

"I've given it alot of thought, and I can only conclude that it behaves more like it's venom. Venomous toxins... Hemotoxin for sure, and I'm pretty darn sure there's tetrotoxins in there if not neurotoxins."

Sesshoumaru merely stared at her with a cold impassive stare - his aura demanding she explain in terms he was familiar with. Kishino blinked slowly, realising she'd used the modern classifications...

"Hemotoxin damage the blood, messes with the rate it clots thus it can cause damage to internal organs rather quickly if potent enough, which then cause inflammations and thus give root for disease to spread. It can also cause bleeding from eyes, nose, mouth, even ears..."

"So far that is consistent with what we have experienced happening to you, and what's been told the victims have suffered before their deaths."

She nodded.

"Neurotoxins and tetrotoxins cause paralysis, spasms and may stop your breathing. In some cases you remain conscious, while your body slowly dies from lack of oxygen because your breathing halts, your heart stops beating so the blood isn't pumped through your system..."

"Also consistent with what we've experienced."

She nodded again.

"I suspect one specific species of youkai to be behind this, but I also suspect that this youkai's had help from another type of youkai - and one damn decent alchemist, a dark healer or miko to mix these toxins into one. I still don't know how it's been distributed, or how it starts...the kind I'm thinking of usually happens through a bite. Envenoment doesn't happen through ingestion..."

She set her eyes on the quiet Inu Youkai.

"Who told Lord Suiko to burn the corpses with Dragon's Breath?"

"A messenger from the South, why?"

"A messenger?"

"Hn."

"Sesshoumaru...what did he look like?"

"This One did not see his face."

"...I'm sorry, what?"

"He kept his face and features hidden under a hood, with a mask covering the rest of his face. He was leaving when This One arrived."

Kishino groaned in frustration and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"Anything at all?"

"There were carvings on his mask."

"Can you be ANY MORE helpful!?"

"Rings were carved into the mask."

"Rings?"

"Hn."

Kishino growled and fell back into the grass, both hands over her face. Her mind was racing, connecting the few dots she had to connect, trying to make s... She removed her hands from her face, and gave the Inu Youkai an incredulous look.

"Rings..." she repeated this detail slowly. He nodded.

"That would make sense...What a cocky bastard!" She crossed her arms over her chest as she remained laying down in the grass, eyes narrowed in concentration, face serious. She remained like that for a very long time, just staring up at the sky above - in fact, she remained that way for so long that the Inu Youkai eventually sat down next to her to remind her he was still there and was waiting for further information on what she'd deducted.

"How goes your calculations?" He finally inquired in a cold, stiff tone when she sun began to set.

"Hm? Oh, I finished that trail of thought a long time ago. I just enjoyed looking at the clouds..."

She congratulated herself on maintaining her serious face when she saw Sesshoumaru's eyebrow twitch in annoyance.

"Blue-ring octopus." She yawned lazily, stretched her arms above her head, and sat up with her legs crossed indian style with her left elbow resting ontop of her left knee and her chin resting in her left hand. Her blue eyes rested on the Lord, her facial expression now matching his own - revealing nothing.

"Not even in my original era do we have an anti-venom for it's toxic saliva...but this venom we encounter has components of other toxins as well which suggests our suspect has an accomplice or two. UNLESS!"

Her eyes widened at the insane realisation and she jumped to her feet, about to run off to follow up on the clue she'd just discovered in her mind - the next second she yelped loudly in surprise and was face down in the meadow grass, muffling curses into the grass. She'd just been body-tackled. How rude!

Sesshoumaru snarled loudly and pinned her to the grass - he had waited patiently for her answer, so now she would answer!

"You will cease your cryptic behaviour and share the information! What poison..."

"- venom!" Kishino turned her face and glared at him "...you do know this is quite a compromising position, right!? Would you get off?"

"This One will not move until you answer!"

"I knew you liked my rear..." Kishino commented dryly with a sarcastic smirk, but regained her serious face when his eyes started bleeding red around the edges. He was going Alpha. Great. As pack she had to obey...damn the Beast was sneaky! Sneaky sneaky sneaky! The thundering growl sounded again, and she realized she'd hesitated a little too long.

"Hybrid!" She burst out, and it was enough to catch his interest - the redness in the eyes receded and he tilted his head. Elaborate, his aura demanded while he pinned her.

"A blue-ring octopus and something-else hybrid! Snake most likely, Kami forbid the something else being a fugu (pufferfish)...If there has been a successful offspring between two youkai of such strong and potent toxins, then the offspring's venom/toxin COULD be a merge and blend into one super-toxin! It fits! It's INSANE! It's a long shot! But it fits!"

Sesshoumaru's body covered hers completely as he leaned down to her ear, his torso pressing against her back and she felt his armour press into her shoulders, causing her to cringe slightly - damnit! Sharp! She exhaled shakily, her turned face allowed her to see his through the corner of her eye. He was intimidating right now! She'd do well to remember who was the strongest out of the two of them.

"Everything your mind figures out, Kishino, you will relay to This One immediately."

"I just figured out what position you most likely enjoy in bed."

She just could not help it! It slipped out of her mouth before she could tie her tongue! The opportunity had been too much to resist! It had been RIGHT THERE!

He snarled at her and she just grinned mischievously knowing he wouldn't kill her for such a cheeky comment on his personal life - not yet, at least.

"So I guess not EVERYTHING-everything that my mind figures out?"

He withdrew from her, and she huffed a breath of relief, shifting so she was sitting upright on her knees. She turned around to face the Inu Lord and by doing so noticed the red tinge around the edges of his eyes.

"You alright there, Sesshoumaru?" She asked, tentatively. Man, his beast had been extremely active as of late...

When he didn't respond to her, she arched an eyebrow and inched closer. His cold gaze seemed to see right through her, like she wasn't there at all, so now she felt worried.

"Sesshoumaru?" She whispered intently, leaning over, her right hand reached up and her index finger poked at his forehead.

The moment she touched him, she cried out at the intense pain of connecting with his mind and grabbed her head with both hands while doubling over.

 _ **MATE!**_

The word burned her mind to such an extent she couldn't see - her mind and vision blacked out completely. It sounded like Sesshoumaru, yet not, so she could've imagined it as well - she wasn't sure. The pain left as quickly as it had occurred, but it made her instinctively scramble away from him and get into a defensive crouch. For once in over two decades she was staring at him with something akin to fear. Was it because of the pain she had felt in her head when touching him, or was it the fear of the word and what it could possibly mean? What DID it mean? And why would such a word even...appear in her mind!?

The male blinked slowly and the redness in his eyes disappeared. When his sight once again came into sharp focus he noticed Kishino's stance - and the look in her eyes as she stared at him. He'd battled his inner youkai, his beast, and had unfortunately not been focused on what happened outside his own mind, but from her aura he guessed she had tried to snap him out of it. Exactly what had happened he did not know.

"Kishino." His voice was cold, indifferent, and she blinked up at him, noticing that he had risen to his feet. Slowly she rose as well, but she kept a good seven feet between them.

"Sesshoumaru." She replied, replicating his tone to near perfection, and she rolled her shoulders, averting her gaze. And so the silence fell once more, but this time it was not a comfortable one - there was a tension in the air between them.

 _What did you do?_ Sesshoumaru growled at the inner youkai, but he only received a content silence. The silence only made the Taiyoukai positive that the Beast had done something in regards to Kishino. He would question her about it later.

They ate some more of the meat from the deer before Sesshoumaru handed the deer's hide to Kishino so she could pack the rest of the meat in it and bring back to the Castle. She worked quickly and efficiently while keeping silent. For once her _silence_ was what bothered the Inu Lord.

* * *

~~~O~~~

"We are closer to the answer." Kishino made an attempt at breaking the awkward air between them by bringing up the subject they had discussed earlier. They were now walking through the forest towards the Castle. Kishino had deemed it necessary to walk. She was not going to let him carry her in any way.

"Obviously."

The one-word reply caused her to grind her teeth together.

"Is it possible for you to show even the smallest fragment of optimism?"

"This One has no idea what you mean."

"Maybe I think too highly of your intelligence, Lord Sesshoumaru."

The acid whip flicked through the air, but she moved her arm up, coated with her potent reiki, and let it curl around her forearm. She held it tightly, and gave the Inu Taiyoukai a sharp glare. They had stopped walking, she was three feet behind him.

"Do not make an enemy out of me, Sesshoumaru, not over small things!" She yanked her arm slightly and the reiki destroyed the acid whip currently in her grip.

She fluidly stepped around him and gave the glaring Taiyoukai a cold glance in the passing. She had the the hide filled with meat casually slung over her shoulder was confident she'd made a point.

Her shoulders stiffened when a small rock hit the back of her head, her steps slowed to a halt and she turned her head slowly to the side thus catching the Inu in her sight.

"Did you just..."

His golden eyes merely stared at her, his expression unreadable. He had not moved from the spot he was stood. Her left eye twitched slightly at the unspoken challenge. She would not take the bait!

"Come on then, youkai, let's continue on. I won't doubt your intelligence, and there will be no more chucking objects at my head!" She gestured with her head for him to join her and began walking.

Her shoulders stiffened when a small rock hit the back of her head, her steps slowed to a halt, again, and she turned her head slowly to glare at him through the corner of her eye. He had something akin to amusement in his glowing, golden irises, and her irritation skyrocketed.

"It's this way, Kishino." The Taiyoukai was smirking on the inside as the irritation literally fell off the human's face, instantly replaced with embarrassment. He gestured to the almost unnoticeable fork in the path they'd been walking on.

"Oh..." She scoffed and turned on her heel, walking to her waiting travelling-companion with her arms crossed over her chest as best she could. To her astonishment, his hand rose and petted her head in a patronising manner.

"Oh, go fetch a stick!"

"This Sesshoumaru has not fetched sticks since his earliest years."

Kishino felt her jaw drop slightly at the honest answer, and caught the brief smirk tugging at the Youkai Lord's lips.

"You mean to tell me that YOU, the great and terrible Sesshoumaru, has actually, literally, played fetch?"

"Hn. Inu youkai pups are very excitable, they usually jump at any chance at fun, and any chance to run."

"And you...?"

"This Sesshoumaru was a pup once, too, like all others."

"Get out..."

Sesshoumaru cast a sideways glance at the last exclamation, arching an eyebrow slightly.

"So if I threw this...?" Kishino held up a large twig which she had snatched from a nearby bush, eyes big in her face.

"Then This One will make you go find it yourself."

"Ah." Ok, no throwing sticks with THIS dog! Not a pup anymore. Kishino discretely chucked the stick over her shoulder and they walked in silence for a while. The silence was more comfortable now, like it had been before. Seemingly forgotten was the previous tension between them.

Before they reached the edge of the dense forest, Sesshoumaru noticed how Kishino rolled her shoulders - like she was preparing herself. He made sure to watch her face intently now as she rolled her lower jaw. He heard the faint click as the jawline dropped slightly and squared. His keen sight noticed the close to invisible muscles tense in her neck up to behind her ears, along with the muscles in her cheek and right behind the jaw. He'd seen her do this many times now over the past month, but this time he saw it in slow motion, not in a rushed switch. When he drew his gaze from her jaw he noticed the now more narrow eyes of the male she posed as stare back at him.

The now more masculine featured human grinned at the Inu Lord and then shrugged. Sesshoumaru felt the surge of reiki and nodded when her aura suggested they cover the distance to the Castle quickly. He was gone in a blink, and she was hot on his tail using her reiki to boost her speed. She hoped they weren't too far away from the Castle, for she needed MOST of her energy to help the souls pass.

* * *

~~~O~~~

"It's the Western Lord and Hito-sama!"

Cries of welcome carried out through the Eastern Castle-grounds when Sesshoumaru and Kishino returned. They had been gone more than one day, but not fully two days. By the time they actually entered the grounds the entire group of survivors were gathered to welcome them. The Lord and the priest walked side by side as they had done this entire journey so far, but no one commented on it - Kishino Hito was special and walked behind no one.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!"

Lord Suiko stepped forth and inclined his head in respect to the fellow lord, then did the same towards Kishino.

"Hito-sama!" he declared and Kishino bowed as was expected.

"Lord Suiko." Sesshoumaru greeted stoically, and Lord Suiko gestured for the inu taiyoukai to join him in his tent. They would discuss the recent events.

"My Lord!" Sesshoumaru caught the squeaking voice and saw a rat youkai launch himself at Kishino's feet. Odd...

She'd tell him later, her aura responded to his questioning one, and he left it alone for now - but he was harder tested to keep his calm when the white cat threw herself around the blackclad figure's neck. His own hearing was deafened by the roaring of his inner beast when seeing the cat female shamelessly pressing a kiss to the human's lips. He sneered, fangs elongating slightly upon seeing how Kishino bristled at the cat's bold welcome - and something in him desired nothing more than tear that cat away and throw her in a lake! How dared that feline touch what was h... He reigned in his beast quickly - what the human did was none of his concern!

"Sinna has really taken to your priest ally, Lord Sesshoumaru. She has even voiced her wish to travel with you to aid you in your quest to find whoever is responsible for these tragic deaths." Lord Suiko huffed and Sesshoumaru grunted in disapproval.

"She will not." He stated, simple as that, and the tent door fell shut behind the two lords.

* * *

~~O~~

"Oh, Kishino! I was so worried! When I saw what state you were in..." Sinna pulled away from the frozen priest and wiped the tears from her eyes with the sleeves of her kimono. She really had been worried! He'd looked so devastatingly human in the Inu Lord's arms, broken, inches from death and covered in blood. It had been a horrid sight to behold - even for a healer as experienced as Sinna.

"I surived, Sinna..." Kishino replied in a strained tone. She had avoided female affections before, she trusted herself to be able to get out of whatever affections Sinna thought she had as well... But she'd have to figure out the hows and whens later, as right now she had something else to focus on.

"Entu, get off the ground!" She carefully touched the rat with the tip of her boot and he jumped to his feet.

"Oh, My Lord! You should've taken me with you! I would've faced the horrors right by your side! I thought you would die and leave me with no purpose! My Lord mustn't leave me behind! I've worked hard in your absence, but all is for nought if My Lord dies!"

Entu grabbed his hair and wailed loudly - and Kishino now seriously feared that she had acquired her very own Jaken...She stared at him with a slightly raised eyebrow while he tore at his hair and continued rambling incoherently about how terrible it would be without his Lord, and how faithful he was to his Lord, and next time, next time! Once it became clear that the rat was stuck in a loop she quickly reached out and twapped his nose with her index finger. He instantly ceased rambling and blinked at her.

"Lord Sesshoumaru took me to a safe place to heal up and to cleanse myself of any residual effects the toxins might've left in my blood system. It would not be safe for me to be around too many youkai while I am in a weakened state. Lord Sesshoumaru is the only one strong enough to withstand my power should it randomly escape my control while I am weakened."

Sinna and Entu (now calm) both nodded - it did make sense. From what they gathered the priest had undergone something similar in the North - at least that's what the rumours said.

"Where is Kiru Akila?" Kishino then asked, swiftly changing the subject off herself. Her face was a stern mask, and Sinna fidgeted slightly. Yes, well...the eagle. It...well, it...

In all fairness no one in the camp was comfortable with the eagle youkai, but they had tended to him as best they could until Kishino returned to take over.

"Hn." Kishino scoffed when no one seemed to want to reply. So she would have to find out herself.

She retrieved a slice of deer meat from the deer's hide, passing the hide pouch to Entu with orders to bring it to whoever was responsible for cooking for everyone. Then she made her way to the infirmary tent - as that was the most likely place the malnourished and weakened avian youkai would be, and so she disappeared inside.

"You put him in a BIRDCAGE!?"

The priest's outraged shout made Entu cringe at the other side of the camp and whimper an apology that his Lord wouldn't be able to hear - while Sinna grimaced guiltily. Oh, he noticed that?

"Hito-sama!" The eagle rasped inside the tent, and the priest was by the cage in a heartbeat.

"Forgive me, Kiru Akila, I knew not they would place you in a cage. I was unfortunately unconscious when I left the tunnels with the Lords..." She apologised and opened the cage, again offering the blind bird her arm to perch on and once the talons locked around her arm she gently moved him out and sat down on one of the empty beds.

Sinna and Entu had both poked their heads inside the tent out of curiosity, and watched with fascination how the priest interacted with the Eagle from the tent door.

"I brought back fresh meat for you..." Kishino held the slice of meat in her right hand and moved it in front of the sharp beak. The blind eyes locked on her and he cocked his head.

"A special human, Hito-sama, is what you are."

"That's already been established a long time ago, Kiru Akila." Kishino replied politely, shrugging as the eagle ripped pieces off the meat while she held it for him.

"How long were you down there?" She muttered.

"This One lost count."

"And no one's been down there to feed you? Make sure you were alive?"

"This One was locked up with the purpose of being forgotten, young human. Those kinds of prisoners are not checked up on..."

"And your aura let no one sense your presence, so forgetting all about you was easy..."

"You catch on fast. You have a sharp mind!"

Kishino shrugged and the eagle finished the rest of the meat. She would not give him too much knowing that he had not eaten properly in so long. Too much food in one go could be more damaging than beneficial.

"How did you survive? If you don't mind me asking..."

"Taiyoukai don't require much to sustain ourselves...water can be enough to hold us for centuries. When the hunger became too much to bear, I fed on my own down..." The eagle would've smirked had it not had a beak, and Kishino arched an eyebrow in slight surprise.

"Taiyoukai?" That's the detail she got stuck on.

"Lord Akila."

Kishino's head snapped around to see Karon in the tent opening.

"Lord?"

The eagle bristled at the gruff voice of the bear, recognising it as the one who had aided in putting him in that cage, and Kishino put a hand on one of the eagle's wings to calm him.

"You are to join Lord Sesshoumaru and Lord Suiko." Karon left the tent, and Kishino exhaled. What the actual f...

"And bring the Eagle Lord!"

* * *

~~~O~~~

The atmosphere in the Lord's tent was tense as Kishino stared at the semi-naked bird still perching on her left arm.

"You're a Lord?" She asked with a monotone voice and the bird cawed and bristled what little feathers he had left.

"My father was told to imprison Lord Akila for plotting to assassinate my father's mate two centuries ago." Lord Suiko held up an old scroll which documented the arrest.

"I was deceived!" The Lord Akila clicked his beak in agitation, but calmed his temper rather quickly when Sesshoumaru's aura flared in warning.

"Look, I don't really care why you were imprisoned, Lord Akila..." Kishino stated quietly, and the Eagle youkai's feathered crest puffed up.

"Do you know anything about why the eagle youkai attempt to assassinate the Seal Clan off the western coast?" Kishino asked politely, sending Sesshoumaru a warning look - the eagle was in no condition to harm anyone at the time being.

"Seals and Eagles have been fighting for thousands of years, little human, but we never hunted seals just to kill them. We feed on fish for the most part and fresh meat from animals when we want something different, we do not feed on other youkai! We only fought the seals when they cleaned out our fishing spots!" The eagle had sensed the reason behind the question from the priest.

"Recent events lead us to believe that eagles of the Western Coast have been hired to assassinate youkai across the lands - since no one can detect their aura until it is too late." Kishino gave the eagle a sharp look when he cawed a hoarse chuckle.

"I fail to see the humour in this, Lord Akila." Lord Suiko growled, and the eagle hissed.

"My brother would've taken the title 'Lord' after I was exiled, Lord Suiko. I am no Lord any longer. However, it sounds like he has failed to protect our Clan. Many desire the eagle youkai eggs, believing them to hold power to shield ones aura - which I suppose they do to some extent when kept on your person...Some want the eggs so they can hatch the chicks and raise them and mold them into their private assassins."

Kishino and Sesshoumaru exchanged looks. Assassins...

"There is one thing you must understand in all this, Hito-sama; Eagle youkais have only one egg at the time, and cannot have another one until that egg has safely hatched and the chick has learned to take care of itself. Right before I was exiled I overheard someone plotting to steal eggs as so to force the parents into servitude in exchange for the safety of their egg. I was ambushed, blinded, and ruled unfit to be Lord not long after I learned of this - then set up with false accusations and doomed to spend my life until death claimed me in the dungeon where you found me."

"So if someone steals an egg and leaves it unhatched..."

"Then the parents will be forever unable to have another, until that egg hatches."

Kishino frowned deeply, and she could see how the Eastern Lord was thinking hard. Sesshoumaru on the other hand was as calm as ever - but this really did not surprise her.

"But if they hatch the eggs for their own private assassin-army..."

The exiled Eagle Lord blinked his blinded eyes, and the sadness was evident in the milky white irises. No matter the damage done to his sight, emotions still shone through, and it shone clearly.

"Only the parents can hatch the eggs of their children...And from what you've already told me, Hito-sama, I fear there might not be many of my kind left...if the parents die, there is no one to hatch the captive eggs..."

Kishino frowned deeply. She had purified many eagle youkai, she would admit that much - but she had done so only because they either attacked, or sought to attack first. She sighed heavily, a sensation of absolute exhaustion overcame her. More dots to add to the big picture, but where did they belong in the scheme of everything?! She ran both hands over her face and groaned softly. Her head was pounding.

"Youkai nobles are targeted and rapidly dying throughout the land. I know what kills them, I just don't know how they get infected..." she thought out loud, and all three Lords had their attention on her.

Sesshoumaru, who knew her the best out of the three, could tell her mind was racing. For a good long time she remained quiet, the only indication they had that she hadn't spaced out was the way her eyes shifted, darting back and forth while connecting dots no one else could see.

Sesshoumaru was about to reach out to her and bring her back to the conversation at hand when she jumped to her feet, unfortunately startling the eagle seated next to her.

"Forgive me, Lord Akila!" She forced an apology before she started pacing.

"Share!" Sesshoumaru demanded, and the priest's stormy blue eyes darkened when his voice interrupted her pacing.

"Eagles. Apologies, Lord Akila, but nothing else makes sense." She began, and Lord Suiko stepped up to the priest when said priest began to pace again, dwarfing the human by his mere size. His large hand dropped to the raven head, effectively stopping the priest from wearing down the floor.

"Elaborate, priest." The gruff voice caused Kishino to glance up at the impressive shape of him, and the raven head nodded.

"Very well, Lord Suiko. Has Lord Sesshoumaru filled you in on what we've learned so far?"

"He has."

"Then I will tell you what I've worked out just now. It has to be Eagles. There is no other way. I'm not saying they are the master brain behind, but perhaps they are the tools to help spread the venom."

She paused, and sat back down in one of the cushions as Lord Suiko returned to his - his large hands folded and his chin resting ontop of them while his deep brown eyes locked on her.

"Since the Eagle youkai can't be sensed by other youkai, it is possible they are used to inject the venom into youkai nobles."

"In what way, Hito-sama?" Lord Akila cocked his head to the side, curious to hear what role his kind might've had in all these deaths.

"Their talons, My Lord..." Kishino murmured quietly.

"One little prick of a talon and the venom is entered into the youkai's system...One small prick of a talon won't contain enough venom to instantly affect the target, but rather start the slow process of slowly deteriorating."

"How come only youkai are targeted then? It's surely instant death to humans if one should take into consideration what you went through..." Lord Suiko continued to watch Kishino intently, and she didn't fidget under his dark gaze.

"Humans are not of any interest to the one behind all this, of that I am certain. He or she seems to target the youkai nobles, thus threatening to eradicate entire youkai courts. I don't know _why,_ yet, My Lords, but I swear I will do everything in my power to solve this!"

"Why are you still alive, priest? If affected you much quicker and much more severely than it did me." Lord Suiko didn't expect the priest to actually chuckle, but he did.

"Though my blood purifies and fights against it's effects all the way, keeping it at bay long enough for my powers to completely purify it - I am still human, my Lord. My body and flesh is not nearly as resilient as youkai. Had my powers not been as potent as they are, I am positive I would've decomposed on the spot in front of both yourself and Lord Sesshoumaru. I do not wish to go through such process again so in the future I will refrain from trying to purify it within my own body..."

Sesshoumaru's aura told her he was pleased with her decision, and she shrugged her shoulders. She'd meant it.

"Onto a different subject, Lord Suiko..." her stormy blue locked with blackish brown - the Lord of the East was eager to hear what she had to say next.

"I will attempt to put your dead to rest..."

"Their bodies were burned..."

"true, but their souls weren't laid to rest. They are wandering aimlessly - anger, hopelessness, confusion and fear is lacing together and tainting them by every passing day. If I do not purify the land on which their bodies were burned, and give their souls peace - they will develop into nightmares haunting this place forever..."

"Lord Sesshoumaru?" Lord Suiko gave his fellow lord a glance, and the pristine Inu inclined his head.

"Hito-sama will do right by them as he did to the deceased in the Northern Lands. Trust him with the souls of your deceased."

"Very well. You have my thanks, Hito-sama."

Kishino nodded and pushed herself to her feet. With a respectful bow to the three Lords, though one of them could not see this, she left the tent and got to work. First things first, though...

Entu wailed when she jumped down the big hole in the ground. For the second time she entered the Eastern Castle catacomb. She had to purify those gooey, gelatinous bodies before she did anything else. Bleh.

* * *

 **A.N.: Quick notice, guys! I am in the progress of moving house. My lease on my current apartment ends February 28th, so I gotta be out till then because new tennants will be moving into THIS apartment March 1st. Wooooo, not stressed, pssh! ;P ...so I cannot promise you that I will manage to get another chapter up this month, but if I can I will, of course! :D Chapter 21 is in fragments, so it's in progress, but nowhere near ready for posting - might just postpone it till I get myself and my kid settled into our new home. Take it easy, guys! Thanks for reading! :)**


	21. A Kiss and a Broken Heart

**Disclaimer:** _ **I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

~~~ O~~~

 **A.N.:** *big dramatic gasp* So... I hope you all have been well!

It's been a killer month, but now it is done, I am settled in a new home, and I can sit down and chill with what I enjoy doing instead of running up and down stairs with boxes and whatnot.

I also had to get a new laptop as my old one _*cough*_ felldownthestairs _*cough*_ by accident during the move. Lucky for me, I had all my files backed up...otherwise you might've had to wait for this chapter a lot longer...Had to wait an extra week for the internet to be up and running as well, but now it's all good. So...yesh. Now go go, read! Shoo! Don't let me keep you! XD

~~~O~~~

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTYONE - A KISS AND A BROKEN HEART**

* * *

~~~O~~~

The following two days passed in a blur for Kishino. She worked day and night, barely allowing herself breaks to eat and drink and answer nature's call. Purifying the defiled grounds where the bodies had been burned with Dragon's Breath took most of day one, a task she took on straight after she'd returned from the catacombs. The bodies below ground level had been purified and the souls still remaining down there were put to rest - and putting the rest of the souls to rest took up most of the second day. Her energy was completely spent - there was no other way to describe it. The shadows under her eyes and pale skin spoke numbers of how close the priest was to a collapse - so none of the youkai, not even Sinna or Karon, bothered the priest when he declared he needed time alone to rest.

Kishino sat by herself on that second evening, legs dangling over the edge of the inland cliff the Eastern Castle was situated on. She had her weight caught on her arms and was casually leaned back, her face turned to the rising moon with the gentle evening air brushing over her face. Alone. It was what she needed right then, and she was glad the others respected that. She now had the time to really feel the small details, like how the evening air had gained a certain crispness to it, thus signalling that autumn was on the way. It wasn't directly chilly, but it was clear that summer was coming to an end. Soon winter would be here. Another year would've passed.

She also had time to feel just how much she ached - both physically and spiritually. Though she was well aware that her powers were vast, she also knew she was at her limit for how much she could spend without overexerting herself completely. It would take at least a week for her spiritual powers to even reach a level where she could use them without fear of fainting. Her sore muscles would have to remain sore - she would not spend the last reserves of her reiki to ease that - that would be a waste of powers.

The grounds were now serene, at peace - she knew that this fact had not gone unnoticed by the youkai who were still alive. They were honouring their dead this evening, hence why she had decided to keep to herself. With a huff of air escaping past her lips she closed her eyes and let herself drop backwards until her shoulders and head rested upon the ground. She let her hands rest casually across her abdomen and allowed her mind wander as it pleased. So tired...

She really needed solitary moments like these; to assess her own mental state and to sift through and organise her thoughts, priorities, responsibilities. Call it a self-psychologist-appointment. Had people truly known the conversations she had in her own head sometimes, they'd think her crazy for sure; lock her up and throw away the key kind of crazy. To Kishino, however, it was what kept her 'normal'. She'd only had Tsuren for companionship for so long - and having adult conversations with him in any way had been out of the questions - so she'd only had herself and her mind - and her seal-clan every few years when they returned to the beach to see their family.

There was something that kept bothering her, interrupting her alone-time and making it severely difficult to collect her thoughts properly - a distraction, if you will. However much she tried to think ahead, how to proceed in regards to her current mission she kept seeing this certain silverhaired Inu Taiyoukai before her inner mind's eye. She was pack now. He'd made her pack. She still wasn't quite over that shock. Once she abandoned thoughts of her mission, he was there to fill the space in her mind.

She scoffed and put her right hand in her hair, trying to will the images of the golden eyes out of her inner eye's vision. How long would she be able to suppress the attraction she felt? She would say she'd done a pretty darn good job of it so far, she never let her control slip - well not completely! She fought to keep the relationship between them strictly 'professional' - with the few odd slip ups of playfulness and her not being able to keep her sarcasm to herself. What she couldn't control was how her heart skipped beats and raced in her chest, how her guts seemed to clench and flutter when he was near.

She could not do this again. Not another Inu. Not HIM! Fate was a cruel mistress, playing those cards on her. It really wasn't fair! She did not want it - those feelings! She really didn't want it!

"Kishino?"

Kishino quickly blinked when her thoughts were interrupted, eyes narrowing automatically and she turned her head towards the voice.

"Yeah?" She replied gruffily while staring at the fidgeting form of Sinna.

The cat was wringing her hands - standing outside the barrier Kishino had put around himself. This one she couldn't pass through. The ethereal female appeared distraught and worn, so Kishino sighed and lowered the barrier. The feline hurried inside before the barrier went back up and she moved to sit beside the priest.

"What ails you, Sinna?" Kishino asked quietly in his strangely pleasant voice, and the gentle question made Sinna bite her trembling lip. The feline youkai sat down next to the priest and simply lowered herself down until her head rested on top of his chest.

"Let me stay like this just for a little while?" She whispered, and Kishino put a hand on the white cat's head.

"As you wish."

They stayed like that for a while, the only sounds were the cat's quiet sobs, and the priest's gentle hushing. Kishino ran her hand over the silky white hair, using her aura to soothe Sinna into a light sleep. When the sobs and tears stilled, replaced with the sound of even breathing, Kishino heaved a sigh of relief - happy she'd been able to offer some form of comfort to the grieving cat who had lost her family as well in that explosion - and feeling their souls pass on had been hard for her despite her attempts to be strong. Not all youkai were affected by emotions the same way as humans, but losing family would be hard on anyone. Kishino knew this only all too well.

"Kishino?"

Arching an eyebrow, Kishino turned her head again and glanced at the large animal form of Karon, the bear general.

"Yeah?"

The bear grunted slightly and Kishino turned his face away with a quick rolling of eyes before lowering the barrier. The bear trod inside and pawed over to the two figures and promptly laid down beside the priest, on the opposite side of the cat.

"How are you faring, Karon?" Kishino murmured as not to disturb the sleeping cat.

"Well enough, Kishino. Well enough. How about yourself?" The bear replied quietly. Kishino just shrugged and offered a small smile.

"I will be alright in time, Karon. At the moment I can only feel exhaustion and not much else."

"I thought you'd appreciate some protection if you wished to rest. You've gone out of your way to aid us, little priest There aren't many humans of spiritual prowess who would do what you have done, and are still doing, for youkai."

Kishino chuckled quietly. She would miss Karon greatly when they left.

"You're a good friend to have, Karon. Would you mind shifting a little? I'll just..." Kishino brought her right arm around the sleeping woman while hoisting her up carefully, then settled herself back against the bear's shoulder, cradling Sinna to her side.

"My Lord?"

Kishino groaned in her mind, but cast a glance to the black rat youkai outside the barrier. The poor guy looked utterly lost and out of place. She couldn't blame him; he was as out of place here as she was, more or less. A third time the barrier was dropped, and Entu hurried over to the bear, cat and human.

"Can't sleep, Entu?" Kishino asked gently, and the rat shook his head furiously.

"What if my Lord needed my assistance and I was asleep?"

"Entu, you are not my protector...now sit down, get some rest..." Kishino yawned and leaned her head back against the bear's fur. The warmth of the youkai behind her back was comfortable enough to make her sleepy.

Entu shifted slightly where he stood, unsure how to join the three resting people, then looked to Karon who snorted and nodded with his head to his back. The rat's eyes gleamed and he took on his animal form, climbing up on the bear's back to settle for the night.

A comfortable silence then settled over the company of four, and Kishino felt herself start to drift off. She trusted these youkai, especially Karon, she could rest.

"Kishino..." Karon's deep voice pulled her back to consciousness and she muttered something incoherent under her breath, forcing her eyes to open.

"There's one more..." the bear sounded amused, and Kishino shifted her tired eyes, spotting the eagle. The odd bird was jumping towards them, his plucked wings outstretched for balance, his stripped bird body looking so awkwardly 'off' it was hard to imagine he was once a Lord.

Kishino sighed, smiling a little as she held out her free arm for the eagle - who had no qualms in getting into the waiting embrace. Kiru Akila jumped up into the priest's lap and got settled there while Kishino rested her hand on his back, between his wings.

Sleep was undisturbed the rest of the night.

* * *

~~~O~~~

"If you seek employment once your mission is over, Hito-sama, you will always be welcome here. As Long as This One rules you shall be known as an Ally of the Eastern Lands." Lord Suiko bowed his head in respect to the priest, and Kishino bowed at the hip, dipping her head low.

"I thank you, Lord Suiko. Thank you for your trust in me."

The Lord nodded, then turned to Sesshoumaru who was watching the goodbyes being said with an emotionless mask and a cold gaze.

"And I thank you, Lord Sesshoumaru, for coming to our aid in these dire times. I can only apologize for the accusations the Lords made towards you. That dishonour will be carried with us for a long time."

"Hn. Think nothing of it, Lord Suiko. Our alliance still stands." The Inu replied then turned and began walking. Kishino would catch up to him.

Sinna stepped forth and wrapped her arms around the priest in a tight hug. Kishino returned the hug and they stayed like that for a few moments.

"Thank you, Sinna. Your friendship will always mean the world to me." She whispered and felt the feline youkai female nod against her shoulder.

"You understand why I cannot reciprocate your feelings?"

"Yes, I do, Kishino. I am sorry for the times I overstepped your boundaries..."

"Your future holds someone else in it, Sinna. But it is not me." Kishino pressed a tender kiss to the whitehaired woman's brow, then stepped back only to get caught in a massive bearhug by the giant bear General.

"Karon!" Kishino wheezed. The grip eased slightly and Kishino turned around to face the youkai.

"I shall miss you, my friend. Thank you, for everything."

"It is I who should thank you, Kishino." Karon bowed his head.

"Take care of everyone, Karon. I will come visit when I am able."

When the bear nodded, Kishino nodded as well, then turned to the gathered crowd. With a final bow to them all, she turned and headed after Sesshoumaru.

"Kishino!" Sinna called after him, running up to him and passing him a small leather pouch.

"Herbs. I thought you'd need a fresh supply.." She whispered, and Kishino flashed her a bright smile.

"Thank you..."

Entu walked up to her side and placed the blind eagle on the priest's left shoulder, and Kishino nodded in approval, continuing on her way after her Lord.

* * *

~~~O~~~

"You're blind, right?" Kishino glanced over at her blind companion. The eagle had joined her as she'd decided to hunt for the group. He was sitting on her left shoulder, quite happy to be out and about in fresh air again.

"That I am."

"I've been meaning to ask you this, but the opportunity never presented itself. You saw the light in my hand. Can you vaguely see light and dark...?"

The blind eagle, the exiled lord, cackled hoarsely and shook his head slowly.

"There are different kinds of light, I am sure you know this!" Akila tilted his head and focused his blind eyes on Kishino.

"When you've spent so long in the darkness as I have, Hito-sama, then darkness eventually becomes all you know. Light brings a different sensation to the air. Darkness feels different against your skin when you know it well enough as I do. Darkness will always feel cold even in the warmest places, it doesn't need to be evil, but it is cold."

"So you say you knew I had something to light up your cell with..."

"No, I felt your spiritual powers a long way."

Kishino rolled her eyes and gazed up at the stars as she walked.

"You mistook me for a miko."

"It offends you?"

Kishino narrowed her eyes slightly. Surely the eagle wasn't able to tell...

"Slightly. I wasn't born to be the most masculine or strong man out of my brood, but no one's mistaken me for a miko - and my powers have more than weighed up for what I lack in physical strength. The road to become the priest I am today has been long and painful and I am proud of what I've accomplished."

Technically she wasn't lying - and so the eagle sensed no lies within her reply, and thus nodded his head in understanding. He had seen his share of scrawny eagle chicks grow up in his lifetime - he knew they still could achieve greatness.

"You don't seem too repulsed by my humanity, Akila-sama."

"What humanity, Hito-sama? I am blind, but my youki is gaining strength every hour. I sense your longevity, your purified blood. What was once human about you is long gone. Time shall not touch you like it does the others you compare yourself to."

Kishino fell silent, and chewed on this for a moment or two. Time would not touch her. Right now that felt rather depressing more than a blessing. Anyone of power seemed to sense her immortality, and point it out to her. She'd not asked for it, nor begged for it, wished for it or otherwise coveted the idea of never ageing or living to see the future she was born in. Heck, she'd not even asked for or wanted her spiritual powers! Yet she had been 'blessed' with them.

"I made you uncomfortable, Hito-sama." The statement was apologetic, but Kishino merely shrugged (carefully).

"Not at all. I have lived with this 'condition' for many years. I guess it'd been easier had I been born being what I am now, but I was born human and my mind is still human though my blood obviously lost it's humanity. Time wears on a human mind, Akila-sama..."

The eagle pondered this. Humans. He and his kind had never had many run-ins with humans. Mostly they avoided interacting with others, kept to themselves and their likes. He'd never given any thought about humans and their lives - he knew they were a shortlived race, their lifespans not even a fraction of a youkai's, one generation never living long enough to see the progress of the next. They were a greedy race, quick to hate and spite what they couldn't understand or explain with their strange logic.

"What keeps you sane, Hito-sama?" he asked.

"Knowing that I one day, somehow, will be with my family again..."

The eagle cocked his head slightly. There was a hidden meaning in those words, he sensed that much, but the priest gave nothing away in his aura.

"Your Lord Sesshoumaru does not approve of me and the rat joining you." Change of subject!

"Nope, not one bit, he believes it slows us down - but he can sulk all he wants, it's my business who I decide to travel with!"

"You dare go against his will?"

"I do!"

"He's your Lord and your pack Alpha..."

"True, but I go my own way - no one gets to order me around. I am no one's to command. This mission was mine, and it was Lord Sesshoumaru who decided to accompany me. If I decide to take on companions during the mission, he does not get a vote."

"I find you to be a very curious creature, Hito-sama. There certainly isn't many like you in this world."

"I know..." The priest sighed, stopping in her tracks then and falling completely silent. The eagle silenced himself as well, feeling how Kishino notched an arrow onto her short bow. Prey.

They returned to the camp for the evening with a small boar.

* * *

~~~O~~~

Three days passed with an easy pace of travel.

Sesshoumaru didn't speak more than short words to her, but she guessed it was because there were two more in their travelling group now. It had been different when it had been only she and him.

The third evening, he approached her after the meal. She glanced up at him when his aura suggested a spar. Fine, she thought, and rose to her feet.

"Watch the fire, Entu. Guard the camp." She commanded gently, and the rat agreed, a little confused as to where his Lord was going with HIS Lord.

Kishino and Sesshoumaru walked until they reached a small clearing away from camp. Before they'd even tread more than three steps into the clearing, Kishino had to spin around on her heel and throw her blade up in order to block Sesshoumaru's sword. She leapt backwards and he followed, swinging his sword again. She twisted her wrist and let the flat side of her katana impact with his, pushing it down and giving her enough momentum to spin around to made a jab at his side. He blocked with ease.

They continued to spar, the sound of blades clashing rang through the entire area. Their shapes blurred across the clearing as they exchanged blows. They had no use for their swords' abilities.

After an hour both were panting. Kishino was crouched low to the ground, one knee drawn up to her chest while the other was outstretched. Her left arm supported her weight while her right clenched around the handle of her katana. She was bleeding from many shallow cuts, while the pristine Inu Lord had gotten off easy with only a few tears in his clothes. Sesshoumaru stood upright, less out of breath than her, but not unaffected.

He didn't speak one word to her. Not even now when it was only the two of them. The golden eyes were dismissive as they gazed upon her. It annoyed her.

"Why are you acting as though I've committed an unforgivable act against you?!" Kishino hissed between breaths, finally finding the time for words.

He didn't reply - he just stared at her as though her words offended his sensitive ears.

She slowly straightened her pose and got to an upright standing position.

He remained unresponsive, and she found herself to be fed up with it. She wanted an answer, damnit! She grit her teeth and brought her katana up, then flung it through the air with violent strength towards him. He countered, his own sword easily flicked the projectile katana away before it could come close to him, but it had distracted him enough.

He felt a burning sting across his left cheek and blinked, raising his free hand to touch his face, surprised to find his fingers coated with his own blood. His golden gaze snapped to Kishino, who withdrew her reiki whip and dissolved it into her hand again.

While he struggled with deciding how to react to her sneaky attack, she covered the distance between them and he found himself face to face with her.

"It's your beast, isn't it!?" She more stated than asked while coiling his long hair around her wrist, then yanked his head down to hers. Kamis be damned, she'd force a reaction from him one way or another!

Their lips crashed together. It tasted like fire and felt like a surge of lightning and to her complete astonishment he responded immediately. It wasn't the reaction she had anticipated. Not really. He was supposed to push her away, glare at her, call her a filthy human, growl at her for daring to touch him, and tell her exactly what was bugging him! But he didn't... She heard the soft clank of his sword hitting the ground before his strong arms wrapped around her waist and held her to him. Her surprised gasp gave him better access to her mouth and she felt her agitated thoughts swim away.

Kishino, in a feeble attempt to keep track of reality, raised her left hand to slap him back to his senses, but was astounded to find her arm restrained by his hand around her wrist. His other hand slid up her back to her neck and his long, elegant, clawed fingers curled tightly into the hair at the base of her skull.

He was not allowing her to back out. The sensations that stirred within him at the touch of their lips was a call of awakening to his logical mind - to This Sesshoumaru, not the beast within. He could feel her reiki rising to the surface, but he responded with his own youki rising to meet it. He felt her gasp against his lips when their powers clashed - sending shudders throughout both their bodies, and he did not waste the given opportunity to deepen the kiss, coaxing her tongue into dancing with his own.

Her left arm snaked helplessly around his neck and brought her closer to his body, somehow managing to not get impaled by the spikes of his armour. His growl of approval drew a soft moan from her - the sound calling to a more primal part of her being - pure want coursed through her, denied and hidden away for a long time. The desire of a woman. His hand in her hair pulled her head to the side to give him access to the sensitive skin of her neck. He ran his lips over the soft skin, inhaling her scent which only he could detect underneath the balm she used to cover it, and his beast purred, HE purred. Sharp canines nipped at the skin, causing her breath to hitch, making her knees give way. Kami, she had never thought she'd ever do such a 'female' thing! That's when he released his grip on her hand and grabbed her waist, pressing her flush against himself, surprised at how good that felt - even with them both fully clothed.

The sting of her reiki on his skin, and the burn of his youki on hers created a sensual pleasure to spread inwards in them both. Like a drug; they both craved more, a higher dose if you will - but alas, the famous bucket of cold water dropped on their heads when a very familiar youki flared in the distance.

"Shit..." Kishino gasped, pushing herself away from the Youkai Lord as he released his hold on her just as hastily.

She inhaled deeply, throwing the equally stunned Inu a look. What had just happened? They'd been...

"Inuyasha is on his way..." She hissed, and Sesshoumaru nodded. They were still affected by what had passed between them, the longing to go back to that moment, that sensation, that feeling of their bodies together...

Then she punched him.

"Will you TALK to me now!?" She glared at him, her eyes now blazing - making the irises appear a vibrant cornflower blue. With her shoulderlength, unruly midnight black locks framing her face she made quite the image.

"That way I won't have to go to these extremes to snap you out of whatever sulking mood you're in, because let me tell you...!"

"Your anger is misplaced!"

"It is NOT! Three days and you've not spoken to me! Is it because of Akila-sama? Is it Entu?"

"It is neither."

"Then help me understand, Sesshoumaru..." She threw her arms out to the sides and gave him an exasperated look.

"I value our friendship, I appreciate our conversations, that we can be equals...please don't turn me away now that we're on these good terms..."

"Kishino..."

His voice turned to silk and she felt her body respond. Damnit! He was dangerous to her senses! They were in the middle of a stand-off, face to face, he was finally speaking WORDS to her after three days, and she was willing to fight hard to make that continue!

"I will NOT..."

He cut her off by taking her lips again, hard, forceful, demanding - and she had no fight left in her to resist the call of his body. He'd moved so fast she'd not had time to register it anyway. She couldn't muster the will to fight something that felt so amazing! The heat that radiated off his body made her ache in ways she'd not experienced before - and she needed more of it! Her hands caressed the sides of his face and she felt his breath hitch across her lips when her fingers touched his pointed ears. Sesshoumaru had never allowed a female to touch him like that before, to an Inu the face was personal, ears were personal. But he had no qualms about letting her touch...

Again she pulled away from the kiss, reluctantly. Their eyes were locked in a quiet stare - then he rested his forehead against hers and their eyes closed for a small moment.

"He'll be here soon." She hummed, and he nodded in return. Kishino nodded as well before moving from him, walking to get her katana which had been flung through the air and landed in the middle of the meadow - and Sesshoumaru leaned down casually to pick up the sword he'd dropped unceremoniously to the ground.

They exchanged looks, filled with questions and longing. Then Sesshoumaru's cold mask fell back into place, he turned around and headed back towards their camp, seeing as the hanyou's aura was approaching fast. Kishino threw a quick glance up at the sky. Why did the Kamis mess with her like this!?

* * *

Upon arriving back at the camp, Kishino could only blink and stare.

"Entu..." she sweatdropped slightly.

"Entu, I believe that fire now classifies as a burial bonfire rather than a small campfire!"

The rat stared at her with big soulful eyes. Had she not known him to be a rat, she'd have taken him for a scolded puppy. How could youkai do that? Youkai and children. Scratch that, youkai children! They were the worst in regards to those soulful puppy-eyes. So unfair!

"I was afraid the fire would die out, My Lord! You left me in charge of the camp, I'd shame myself if the fire died out!"

Kishino wasn't sure just how to respond to that without heavy sarcasm, so she inclined her head instead.

"SESSHOUMARU!" The well-known shout belonging to the hanyou pierced the night, and Kishino and Sesshoumaru exchanged looks, preparing. If Inuyasha was shouting like that, it had to be something serious...

The human placed herself between the eagle and the rat, just as the incoming Inu Hanyou crashed into the camp, skidding across the ground before coming to a halt in a cloud of dust. He wheezed slightly before straightening his back and jumping right into a battle stance as his eyes landed on his ever stoic broth..HALF-brother - then travelled to Kishino.

"Kags..." he grunted, and she arched an eyebrow in reply - causing his ears to flatten slightly.

"You guys need to get back to the Western Castle!" He started, no introduction or greetings. Kishino understood that this wasn't just any request - she sensed the distress in his aura and so did Sesshoumaru.

"Why?" Stated the Lord, and Inuyasha's eyes flashed with pain.

"People in the castle's sick, that's why ya bastard!"

"Sick?" Kishino was quick to intercept, stepping in front of Sesshoumaru to prevent an attack over carelessly spoken words. It was not the time!

"Yeah!"

"What kind of sick?" She asked tentatively, a painful knot twisting in her guts. This could not be good...

"Dunno what it is, alright? They move slower, vomit blood, sneeze blood, breathe funny! Some can't even move anymore!"

Dread seeped into Kishino's core and she paled visibly. They'd attacked the Western Castle!? She turned her head to give Sesshoumaru a look, but the Lord was already gone. Damn him!

"SESSHOUMARU!" She yelled angrily in the direction she sensed his aura disappearing. The fool, what could he do to stop it without her!?

"C'mon Kag...Kishino!" Inuyasha grabbed her hand in his and she shook her head.

"One minute, Inuyasha..." She turned around and gave Entu a telling glare - and the rat immediately transformed to his rat shape, diving into the satchel Kishino held open for him.

"Akila-sama..." She whispered, reaching out and hoisting the flightless bird up under her left arm.

"Ya got yerself new friends, huh?" Inuyasha had a strange expression on his face.

"None that will ever replace you, dog boy, let's run!"

The redclad Inu hanyou took off with Kishino hot on his heels, heading directly west. In the very far distance they could hear the howl of a Taiyoukai.

"Who's been infected?" Kishino pushed herself up to Inuyasha's side, giving him a sideways look and ignoring his shocked expression.

"Uh...listen, Kishino..."

"Who!"

"Mostly nobles...guards..." He hesitated.

"And...Sango, and...Shippou..." he hesitated before continuing in a weaker voice "Sango didn't make it...we fear Rin's infected, too."

The human in black snarled and in a burst of sheer reiki she was gone. Inuyasha blinked his eyes after the flash. Strangely enough the reiki hadn't burned, could that be because she hadn't meant for it to purify? Did she really have that much control over her powers?

When the flash around her died down Kishino found herself outside the Western Castle. She was heaving for breath now, her spiritual powers hadn't had enough time to fully charge yet - she'd spent a lot of the reserves she'd had stored. She flared her aura and the gates opened, and while gulping air into her lungs she staggered into the Castle grounds. Her whole being shook violently as exhaustion threatened to shut her body down completely, finding a nearby wall to support herself on.

"I'm sorry..." She croaked to Kiru Akila, placing him down along with the satchel as she dropped to her knees, battling her body's increasing demand of rest.

"Kishino..." She glanced up through the wild strands of hair that hung infront f her face to see Miroku stagger towards her from the stairs leading into the Castle. His face bore such heartbreak, tears streaming down his face, his eyes so full of pain she couldn't stand it!

"Miroku..." Her heart clenched, causing a burst of emotional pain which manifested itself as physical pain thus making her cry out in anguish! She stumbled over to the older male, meeting him halfway and throwing herself into his arms - and they clutched on to eachother for dear life. The older man didn't hold back his tears, he sobbed brokenly into her neck, his tears soaking through her jumper fast. His grief merged with her own and they dropped to their knees, unable to remain on their feet, both now crying unrestrained into the other's shoulder.

"She's gone, Kagome..." Miroku sobbed, and she whimpered through her own hitching breaths. Oh Kami, the pain in her heart was unlike any pain she'd felt in a long time! To lose Sango...it hadn't been a reality before! She had had so many years left! Now those years had been stolen from her!

She clenched her hands into the garment of Miroku's robe, cradling him against herself. She felt his broken aura, and it pained her even further - so she wrapped her own aura around his to keep him together for the moment, and she shuddered at how heavy that fractured aura was. Her tearfilled eyes glanced up at the sky above. Why, WHY had she NOT foreseen that the Western Castle could be targeted!? With it's Lord away, and herself not present to protect it...guilt added to the heartbreak.

They remained on the ground until she felt a hand on her head. She sniffed and caught sight of red. She sobbed as a new wave of grief overcame her, renewed by the third member of their original group from so many years ago, and she tugged Inuyasha down onto the ground next to herself and Miroku. The three huddled together, mourning Sango. Miroku's wife and lover. Inuyasha's friend. Kagome's sister in everything but blood.

When she finally felt secure enough to remove her face from Miroku's shoulder, she dared glance over at her whitehaired friend.

"Inuyasha, please look after him..." She whispered hoarsely, feeling the hanyou nod against her own shoulder before removing his head slowly. She cleared her throat and blinked away her tears.

"Miroku..."

"Go...save those you can..." He replied, sounding so very old and tired - and her heart clenched once more, but at the time being she really couldn't allow herself to break down again - here were those who needed help before it was too late.

She nodded and forced herself to separate from the two males, walking back to the eagle and the rat in the satchel.

The two youkai companions kept silent, the emotions were palpable and both knew no words would suffice. She brought them with her inside the castle and walked the stairs up to the room she'd had when she was staying here last time.

"Wait here..." She whispered and exited the room.

* * *

~~~O~~~

"Out of my WAY!" She yelled with authority at the gathered crowd outside Shippou and Rin's room, and the youkai servants split to let her through.

"Shippou!" She growled and shoved herself inside the grand room. Elegant in it's simplicity, she noted vaguely, but the decorations and furnishing was not on her mind at this given time.

"Get out!" She snapped at the healer, and the old owl youkai bowed her head and made herself scarce. Kishino closed the door, sensing the red aura from the corner of the room so she knew Sesshoumaru was there. She understood his rage - someone had attempted to murder his chosen Heir!

Shippou was on the bed, barely breathing. His skin a sickly pale colour, erratic tremors occasionally disturbing the otherwise unmoving fox. The symptoms undeniably the same as the other victims; bleeding from eyes, nose and mouth, paralysis, obstructed and heavily weakened breathing. He sported several bruises, but they weren't from a fight - they were places where the flesh had began to decay. Kishino grit her teeth. She knew EXACTLY what Shippou was going through - so now she would make it stop! She would make it go away! She would save her son the only way she could!

"Shippou! Baby..." She moved to the bed, looking down at her most beloved youkai, running a hand over his pale face.

"Mama..." He wheezed, and she frowned deeply. He was conscious enough to recognize her. Which meant he was highly aware of his body dying while his mind was clear.

"How long?" She whispered.

"Four days..." he lost his breath just by talking, and she hushed him.

"It'll be alright now, you'll see...will you trust me?" She was about to cut into her palm when Sesshoumaru's warning flared through the room with an intensity that made her fall over across the futon, across the afflicted fox youkai. She stilled, and glanced over her shoulder before pushing herself back up into a standing position by the futon.

"Do not...hinder me..." She growled fiercely, but the red eyes that met hers spoke murder on so many levels. She had PROMISED!

Grimacing and rolling her neck in a reluctant manner, Kishino clenched her fist and breathed deeply. He was her SON! She never wished to cause him pain like this, but that was the only other option she had! She had to use physical reiki instead of her blood...

"Shippou, I am going to have to hurt you, ok? Just for a moment, then it'll be alright. Trust me, sweetheart, it's going to be ok, you'll be ok!"

She rubbed her hands together until her palms started glowing and then she slid her hands under the suikan placing her palms against his bare chest. With tears brimming in her eyes she forced the purifying powers deep into her adopted child's flesh.

She sobbed at the pain she saw flash across the fox' face, he arched and roared at the top of his lungs as her purifying powers entered his body - then he fell limply back into the futon. Kishino was focusing entirely on burning away any trace of the toxins she could find with her reiki, while at the same time adding its healing elements to the damages that had been done by said toxins. She could see the pain subside as the reiki burned away the toxins, repaired the damages to his flesh and organs, aided the heart to pump harder so the cleansed blood could spread through him. The more his youki fought against her, the more she knew it was working. She poured all her love into her hands then finally pulled away from him, turning to fall flat down onto the floor by the futon.

She knew she must've passed out from the excessive use of her powers, but it couldn't have been for long. She opened her eyes to find the room just as it was. Sesshoumaru was sitting on the edge of the futon, his elbows resting on his knees, leaned forwards, his golden, but red rimmed eyes on her.

"Shippou lives?" She didn't recognise her own voice.

Sesshoumaru nodded and she closed her eyes in relief. With a small grunt she sat up, shuffling over to the futon and taking a closer look at the kitsune. Emerald green eyes met hers and she reached out to touch his hand - smiling weakly when his clawed fingers wrapped around hers.

Sesshoumaru rose and lifted Kishino up into the bed next to his Heir, her son, and watched how the fox pulled her into his side and nuzzled her. He'd let her rest for a little while. There were others who also required her healing abilities after a short rest.

* * *

~~~O~~~

* * *

 **A.N.:** Ta-daaaaah. Please take note that this chapter is a little shorter than the previous one, because I am flippin' over-my-head tired XD So, chew on this for a while, and I'll go cook up the next chapter. Crossroads again...y'know...choices to make, plots to create, minds to make up... =P

Thanks for reading!


	22. Now it's Personal

**Disclaimer:** _ **I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

~~~ O~~~

* * *

 **A.N.:** **I'm baaaaack! I do apologize for the hold-up in posts, but manic March month, Easter, even more hectic April so far...family...y'know...stuff. SO I managed to piece together the random bulks I've written randomly this last month whenever I've had a spare moment. I think I got it right XD**

 **We continue on in the story - not necessarily straight forwards, might be a little sideways, few steps back and round in a small circle, but yay; story!**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - Now it's personal**

* * *

~~~O~~~

"Hey, Mama?"

Kishino woke slowly to the sound of the strong, pleasant male voice. She recognized it right away and was not alarmed at the close proximity of the person next to her.

"Shippou!" She whispered, a smile managing to grace her features, opening her eyes to face the fox youkai.

"Yeah, who else would call you such a name?" The fox countered and she chuckled hoarsely, nuzzling into his side and taking in his scent. Kami...her son. She'd saved her son. He was alive! She pulled a face shortly after, once the scents really caught up to her, and she gave him a grin while scrunching up her nose slightly.

"You need a bath, young man!"

"I could say the same to you - but I know how to be polite!"

She responded by huffing at him, though it was done with a smile. She figured she perhaps was in need of a bath, and her clothes in desperate need of a proper rinse.

Cringing slightly before shifting to sit up, Kishino rolled the joints of her shoulders and sighed with relief as the tension in her muscles seemed to have eased up during the short, but much needed rest. She returned her attention to the kitsune and looked him over with motherly concern, but he seemed to be quite alright. However, there was one thing she had to check up on - so, pulling aside his suikan she saw the angry red handprints on his pecks and she traced them with a finger.

As if he sensed her guilty thoughts about marring his pristine youkai skin, Shippou placed his large palm over hers on his chest, and his green eyes stared at her with a determination she recognized from when he was a child.

"Call it a mother's mark - don't feel bad about it. These are your marks on me, mama - you saved my life, and I hope they never disappear. I hope YOU never disappear!"

Slightly taken aback by how easily he had read her rising guilt, Kishino was quick to blink back the faint sheen of tears from her eyes. Well, if she thought about it like that...then she could live with it. Her marks. Protective marks. A mother's mark on her child. Yeah alright, that did sound kinda cool, actually - and Shippou seemed to share that thought also.

"How is Rin?" Kishino finally asked - trying to find something else to focus on at that moment.

"She is well, Kagome. She AND the pup..."

"She had the baby? Are they alright? Inuyasha mentioned they might've infected her..."

"She had our pup. Yes, she did. A female. Miroku protected them along with many brave guards. Together, nothing came past them."

She nodded at this piece of information. Though she was troubled by this attempt on the Western Castle's inhabitants, she had a nagging sensation deep down in her gut that it was a distraction more than an actual attack.

Shippou watched with fascination as the cogwheels inside Kishino's head turned, her stormy blue eyes flashed between midnight black and cornflower blue - it was interesting to see. When their gazes locked again, Shippou knew she would be off again soon. She would stop for nothing until she saw the end of whoever was behind all this misery.

* * *

~~~O~~~

"Miko, there are others who need your attention!" A cold, monotone voice efficiently shredded the moment between Kishino and Shippou.

Next to her she felt Shippou tense, but she patted his arm and turned her head slowly towards the voice. She stood up from the futon and eyed the Taiyoukai with an expression all too similar to the one the Western Lord wore.

"You will refer to me by name, Sesshoumaru. I will not accept being called something I am not! I am not a miko! This you know!"

"In this Castle you are!"

There was a significant spike in her aura at those words, and Shippou flinched slightly - and surprisingly enough, so did Sesshoumaru. The female was quick to reign in her terrifying power, though the air in the room felt a lot colder now than moments before.

"If it is the Lord's wish to disrespect a guest at his Castle like that, then that is his business, by all means!" She hissed through tightly clenched teeth, stopping only a few feet from from the pristine silver Inu youkai.

"Move." She demanded, the chill in her tone was unlike her.

Sesshoumaru kept himself from sneering - he knew her stubbornness, so why had he thought that being here at his own Castle would automatically transform her back into the Shikon Miko? His beast was very upset with him.

He stepped aside, but grabbed her arm when she exited the door, and she felt his claws dig lightly into the garment of her black jumper. She calmly turned her gaze to him. There were so many things he was not allowed to express, or didn't know how to express - her empathetic antennas picked up on this, and she could only sigh in the end. He had not meant to insult her. Damnit, she knew that, alright!? She turned slightly towards him then, and placed her right palm on his cheek for the briefest of moments before retracting her limb.

She knew he didn't intentionally mean to grind her gears - they were of very different mindsets after all. While he had an iron clasp on his emotions and could reign them in so tightly he apparently had none at all - Kishino had more of a play-do'h clasp on hers; while sometimes it held tight, it was squishable and adaptable in regards as to what she required at the time. Lately she had not had the right strength to mirror his iron-control of emotions - living and breathing took enough of her time, but she understood the hidden apology in the cold eyes in front of her.

Their eyes locked firmly, a quiet understanding transpired between them before he released her and she nodded, turning and heading down the hall and down the stairs to the grand hall where the unfortunate infected youkai were kept. No dungeons or catacombs had been used as storage here.

Shippou glanced at the very strange moment between Kishino and Sesshoumaru. A canine fang crept over the side of his bottom lip as a wicked grin crossed his features. Well...this was indeed something to share with Rin later.'

* * *

~~~O~~~

Several hours later, with the setting sun casting its last lingering rays of sun onto the Castle, an exhausted human finally took a breather.

She was so tired! It had been too long since she'd felt this utterly emptied. She had healed those who still had a chance, she'd purified those too far gone or who were already dead - it was no easy task. It weighed heavily on her mind. The toxins and its effects slowly disappeared from the great hall - the living were vacated to their own livingspaces to further regain strength, and the scent of death and pending death vanished from the air.

Many of these youkai she had met before, seen before - some only briefly, but still... These were familiar faces. This was, by far, more personal than the Northern or Eastern Lands. The invisible load on her shoulders physically hurt at this point. She wanted to cry, but she was unable to allow herself that luxury. Enough tears had been shed by others; those who had lost family, fathers, mothers, brothers, children, friends, comrades. Her tears weren't needed.

Her hands rested limply in her lap once the last youkai had been purified out of his misery - an older youkai, one of Sesshoumaru's most trusted advisers, who had once been an adviser to his great and terrible father before him. She was not able to uphold a straight posture at this time, she just slumped. Blackness clouded her sight while her pulse thundered in her ears - followed by a most pressing headache which visibly made her cringe every few seconds.

"Kishino." She cringed again - the voice not helping her headache.

She muttered an inaudible rude response, not moving from the spot. Not that she could anyway, she couldn't muster the strength at the moment. She felt pathetic. She'd spent so much of herself she had no strength left to protect herself. No warrior should ever put themselves in such a position - know your limitations, stop while you still have a little strength left - the logic was that the small amount of remaining strength would be enough to keep you alive if a surprise attack was launched while resting. Ugh...logic sucked sometimes. And of course she'd not heeded her own logic this time either. She was terrible at taking her own advice...

A surprisingly gentle hand slid under her left arm and she was hoisted up to her feet. She would've found it almost comical how she could only hang limply on the arm. There was a short 'hn' and she was carefully lifted and placed over a strong shoulder. Her frazzled mind took notice of his lack of armour. Oh well, all the more comfortable to be hanging there like a sack of rice...

"This is degrading..." her words were her only signs of struggle.

He heard her muttering, but Sesshoumaru cared not if it was degrading to her person at this time. As it was, he doubted anyone would think it degrading that she had sacrificed her own strength to save so many. He took her to her chambers, the bath she sorely needed would have to wait until the morning he decided. She'd probably drown if she was placed in a large body of water right now. An interesting thought, but at this point in time he did not wish for her death - so he discarded that idea before it settled.

The Lord's stoic face didn't shift even though he was surprised to find the rest of her companions inside Kishino's chambers. The whole entourage. Of course they would be. This stubborn creature had a sway over most people she came across, didn't she - human and youkai alike...

Inuyasha's eyes boggled when he saw his brother carry Kishino over his shoulder like that. Had she pushed herself too far?! He was on his feet, moving to take Kishino from his half-brother, but the Taiyoukai sent him a gaze to cold he froze in his steps.

Sesshoumaru didn't pay attention to the others at all, merely placed the worn priest they all cared for down on the futon and stepped swiftly away and to the door.

"Make sure she rests." He told the ones still in the room, then he exited.

* * *

~~~O~~~

"How is she?" Shippou whispered to Inuyasha, who shrugged his shoulders in reply.

The hanyou had been keeping guard outside Kishino's room out of habit. She wasn't up for protecting herself right now, so his first instinct was to take up his old role as her protector. She needed him. HE needed her to need him.

"Still sleepin'..." he grunted, eyes closed.

"It's been hours..."

"Don't ya think I know, ya brat?!" Inuyasha opened his eyes and scowled, but Shippou pulled his best imitation of Sesshoumaru, and Inuyasha's ears flicked back.

"S'rry, Shippou. I'm worried, ya know?"

"We all are..." Shippou muttered, entering the room where the others were seated.

He couldn't help the small smile that tugged on his lips upon seeing Miroku on the futon with Kishino. The old man had the sleeping priest's head in his lap and was stroking the shoulderlength hair in a soothing rhythm, like a father would to soothe his child after a nightmare. It helped keep him calm it seemed, to offer his care to Kishino - it kept him from falling apart. Someone needed his protection. Shippou was not about to tell the old monk to leave Kishino's side - it was clear that Kishino was resting soundly.

The fox youkai brushed the back of his knuckles over Kishino's cheek, then shifted down to sit on the floor next to her futon.

"Who is this priest really?" Kiru Akila asked quietly from his seat by the window. The eagle had quickly detected the slip-ups made by those who obviously knew this priest from before. He wasn't out to judge, but the priest's identity was shrouded and confusing - though he trusted the one who had given him back his freedom, he felt like he was back to square one in terms of what he actually knew about him.

"I am who I am...and I am something akin to complicated."

A groggy Kishino snorted when the others obviously hesitated in regards to replying to the Eagle's question, and she opened her eyes before she slowly attempted to sit up on the futon. With one arm flailing in the air as she struggled to gain balance in an upright position, she quickly changed strategy and rested her heavy head on Mirkou's shoulder - not quite up for sitting upright without his support just yet. She gazed tiredly at the gathering of old and new friends, including Inyyasha as he slipped inside the room once hearing she was awake.

She inhaled slowly, a small smile ghosting over her lips before she clicked her jaw back into place which gave her face back its feminine traits - and the narrowed eyes 'relaxed' and opened up a bit more.

"WHAT?" Entu exclaimed upon seeing the change in his Lord, and he blinked when everyone's eyes locked on him after his loud squeak of surprise - so he gestured wildly with his hands at Kishino, who merely stared at him, and everyone else continued to stare at him. The rat was quickly realizing that no one was freaked out about this, so in the end, Entu put his hands behind his back and glanced at Kishino for answers.

Kishino had her main focus on Kiru Akila, the blind eyes of the Eagle rested on her directly even though she knew he could not see the physical changes in her facial structure.

"Twenty years ago I went by the title Shikon Miko...and my name wasn't Kishino Hito, but Kagome Higurashi."

"WHAT!?" Entu froze (again) thanks to the sharp looks he got this time. What...No one else but him found this shocking!? His Lord was the Shikon Miko!? The one who had helped vanquish Naraku!?

Kishino threw Inuyasha s sideways glance when she heard a choked snort escape him. Oh, had he expected her to pull the long story? By the look in his eyes, he had.

The eagle youkai shifted to his feet and walked slowly over to the futon on sure feet, focusing on the direction from where he had heard her voice and when he felt the soft mattress against his toes he stopped. The Eagle Youkai then lowered himself to his knees in front of it with his hands coming to rest on his thighs.

"So my first initial guess as to what you were down in that cell was correct." His blinded eyes blinked, and Kishino winced almost unnoticeably.

"Yeahhh...it's. No, your guess was..." She rubbed the side of her head, grumbling slightly as she finally lifted her head off Miroku's shoulder - and she felt Miroku's comforting hand on her back, reminding her quietly to just take a deep breath.

"I was trying to keep it short and simple here, Akila-sama." She puffed her cheeks slightly before exhaling the air slowly.

"Yes, maybe you sensed my reiki, but I no longer go by the title miko."

She, with the help of her comrades of old, then retold the story of how she'd 'died' on those cliffs twenty years ago.

"I am what this world needed me to be. I also had to become who I am today for my own sake. For too long I lived to be someone's shadow, my fate and reputation tied to a sacred jewel. I needed my own life."

Entu thought about this. So his Lord was REALLY his Lady...

"My La.."

"I swear, Entu, if you call me Lady..." The rat jumped slightly when Kishino caught on to what he was about to say - the threatening undertone to the otherwise almost too cheerful voice was very clear, and Entu flushed a deep shade of red.

"My Lord..." He bowed his head, "it doesn't change my loyalty to you."

"Nor does it alter my gratitude, Hito-sama. Without you, our fates would have been much worse off." Kiru Akila bowed his head and Kishino fidgeted slightly.

"Stop being so formal, it's creeping me out..." The blackclad human muttered, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I need to get back to Rin and the pup, I promised Rin I'd update her on how you were faring, Kishino. I'll catch up with you later..." Shippou announced this gently and leaned down to nuzzle Kishino affectionately before he left the room.

"You still need that bath, mama!" he called playfully over his shoulder, grinning widely to himself as he heard her growl - and he knew he had risked having one of his tails purified and was happy he'd escaped as swiftly as he had.

"So, none of you think less of me for keeping my true identity secret?" Kishino finally calmed enough to focus back on Entu and Kiru Akila.

"I believe, Hito-sama..." Kiru Akila began, drawing everyone's attention to his person. A wise smile graced his features.

"I believe that perhaps these lands still need the Shikon Miko, in any form she may choose to take on. If the Shikon Miko is given back to these lands in the form of Kishino Hito - then whether or not these lands knows of your past, they should be ever grateful, and its inhabitants respectful of your willingness to offer your aid where you see it is needed."

"Thank you." Kishino murmured softly, lowering her head.

"I really do need a bath. I'll meet you all out in the gardens later..."

* * *

~~~O~~~

Sesshoumaru glanced out of the window in his study. He kept being drawn to the window, to keep an eye on the human dressed in black - the one surrounded by several youkai, a hanyou, two humans and an infant. They'd gathered out in one of the gardens to remember Sango, the slayer.

He had respected the slayer. Her power and strength, her prowess in battle, had earned her the respect from both humans and youkai alike. And now she was gone. All because she chose to act. He'd been told that the slayer had been able to sense the eagles - and why shouldn't she, she was a slayer after all. She'd warned those she could, and bravely attempted to hinder the assaulting eagles from completing their task along with the guards.

Right now the blackclad...creature! was engaged in a serious conversation with the monk. Sesshoumaru knew this because he could see it, but the wretch had cast a barrier to hinder sound from reaching outside their tightly knit group.

He shook his head and returned to his scrolls. He'd been away for a while, and there were things to look over. Now that he was here, he might as well. He attempted to focus on the matters at hand, but found his gaze wandering to the window every so often. How annoying!

It was uncanny how that creature had managed to get under his skin in the short time they had spent travelling together. No one had sparked his interest or coaxed his emotions to the surface before in the way she did. It was unheard of. Unacceptable!

His inner youkai, the beast within him seemed determined to claim her - yet his logical side still reared up and fought against the inner determination of acknowledging his match. The redeyed beast screamed inside his head, but he would not budge. She was not youkai. For as long as he could manage, he would hold on to that logic.

* * *

~~~O~~~

A long soak in a local hotspring within the Castle-grounds had done wonders for both her body and her soul. She had rinsed, and redressed in clothes she had picked out beforehand. She had chosen black hakamas and a black suikan which was tightly tied together around her waist with a bright blue obi. This was casual in her own terms.

She was now staring calmly at Miroku's shocked face. He'd been gazing blankly at her for many minutes, and so had the rest - simply stunned by their friend's determined request of the old monk.

"I mean it, Miroku! I can't lose you, too! Please, just consider it. Please?" She grabbed the human's hands in hers and held them gently - running her thumbs over his knuckles.

"You're my brother, like she was my sister. Please don't leave me behind..."

Miroku finally blinked his eyes into focus again and his violet eyes fell to the hands holding his. He cleared his throat, but it didn't do much to hide the crack in his voice when he spoke.

"This is a lot to consider, Kagome...I...need time to think. Allow me to travel to Edo, to put Sango to rest, and grieve with my children and grandchildren over our loss...then, after, maybe I can give you an answer."

Kishino nodded, blinking back the tears. She hadn't expected a hasty yes. At least he would think about it - it had to mean that a small part of him perhaps wanted to accept...

She released his hands, exhaled, and smiled when Rin held out the little baby to her. She cooed instantly and swept the infant into her arms, crooning softly and nuzzling a plump cheek. It was a healthy hanyou baby! Adorable beyond belief! Fair skin, auburn tufts of hair, and her father's amazing green eyes...and the CUTEST and softest little fox ears!

"What an incredible little ray of sunshine you are!" She whispered with adoration, her eyes had regained the brightness they'd held before she separated from Tsuren. Miroku's gentle smile took in the sight of the young woman with the baby. Kagome had always been a natural with children.

"We wish to call her Kagome..." Rin's voice sounded, and the young woman gave Kishino a solemn, honest look when Kishino in return stared back in disbelief. Miroku chuckled, and Kishino's eyes shifted from him and back to the parents of the child, then back to the monk, then back to Rin and Shippou.

"Why?" The miko-turned-priest blinked confusedly at the couple while she carefully cradled the bundle in her arms. She believed they were joking. Surely, they had to be...

"It's quite simple, really. It's the name of everything good and warm which both me and Shippou recall from our years after meeting you. To us it means love, protection, hope, courage, fun, intelligence...and a beautiful soul. It is everything we wish for our daughter."

Kishino swollowed the lump in her throat, looking down at the little child in her arms. She knew who she had been and who she was now - and she knew that she most likely, one day five hundred years in the future, could be Kagome again. But as it was now, Kagome Higurashi had no business in this Era. That name was not for her in this time, it belonged to her only in the future.

"Well..." She sniffed slightly "...I'll be honoured to pass my name down to you, little heart, for it is not really mine any longer, is it? Not yet anyway... You take good care of it."

She placed a kiss on the hanyou baby's head and buried her nose in the soft cheek again. Nothing smelled as innocent and pure as babies! The scent reminded her of her own cub, and she felt the pang of longing for her little Tsuren. She hoped she could see him again soon.

"Tsuren will love you, just like I do..." She whispered, and with a final smile, passed the child back to her mother.

* * *

~~~O~~~

Kishino remained in the garden when the others turned in for the night. She enjoyed the privacy. She had thought she'd get to meditate, to center herself and her powers in the solace of the abandoned garden. But...alas...

"I know you're there, Akila-sama..."

She smiled to herself when she heard the rustle as the blind eagle made his way back towards her.

"Lucky guess..." the youkai huffed in a gentle tone and sat down next to her.

Kishino threw him a sideways glance. At least he could wear clothes in this form. He looked more dignified. With his rich dark caramel hair, cut short at the neck and falling in soft curtains around his face. Three golden stripes adorned his forehead, the two outer stripes dropping from his hairline down to his eyebrows while the middle one dropped to right between his eyebrows, ending right above the bridge of his nose. With some more meat on his bones he would be quite a striking and handsome youkai, she imagined.

"How did you lose your sight exactly, Akila-sama?" She asked with genuine curiosity, turning her gaze back to the sky above.

"A dark miko, little one. Dark reiki took my eyesight away. Had it been anything else, I probably could have healed it myself over the decades that followed...but as you are well aware, reiki is one of the few things most youkai can't heal naturally from."

"Hn." Kishino swirled her tongue around in her mouth while she thought, then swiftly shifted onto her knees and placed herself in front of the exiled eagle Lord. She placed her hands on his face, ignoring the stunned expression, and letting her thumbs and index fingers pull his eyelids carefully apart.

"Trust me, I'm...almost a doctor..." she whispered, turning the eagle youkai's face so the moonlight shone directly into the eyes. She studied them intently, quickly noticing small details such as the fact that the milky sheen covered the entire eye and not just the pupils and irises as she'd first assumed.

"What is a doc-tor?" The eagle inquired, quite bemused by that new word while she invaded his personal space.

"It's a term for medic, a professional healer. Anyway; how did the dark miko pull this off, do you remember?" She asked and let go of his face, leaning back, adjusting to sit back on her heels instead and gracefully managing to hop a few steps away in order to give the Eagle some space.

"It's been so long, Hito-sama..."

"Kishino."

"...Kishino. It used to haunt my dreams for a very long time, then the dreams just stopped..."

"Hn..." She gazed at the blinded eyes quite intently for what seemed like many long minutes, before she once more moved closer, summoning a bright shining orb of her reiki into one hand.

"Your light..." Kiru Akila mused, and Kishino confirmed with a small 'hn'. She was watching for reactions in his eyes, anything at all that could give her a clue as to how and what had been done to him to take his sight away so permanently.

She moved her hand from side to side, and as close as she dared, and from the right angle she finally caught sight of the reaction she hoped for - beneath the milky white shine his pupil reacted; becoming a thin slit in the light of her reiki. She withdrew the blinding light, back into her palm, and clicked her tongue.

"There is nothing wrong with your eyes, Kiru Akila." She grinned and patted the eagle's shoulders.

"Beneath the veil that keeps your sight from you, I caught glimpse of your eye's natural reaction to light! It can be mended! I just don't know HOW exactly...but I will find out! I'll help you regain your eyesight!"

The eagle, stunned at her revelation, blinked his blind eyes and moved his arms around her in elation - though he was quick to pull back and lowering his head in a grateful bow to her.

"This One does not deserve the kindness you bestow upon his person, Hito-sama!"

"Oi, again with the formalities! Stop it! It's only me here! There is no need for such behaviour!" The priest scoffed indignantly, but then she realized why and the hairs in her neck stood on end.

"But this time I understand, Akila-sama. I will continue searching for a way to give you your eyesight back." She whispered, then bowed her head to the exiled eagle and listened to the rustle of clothes as he got up and walked back the way he'd come. She remained still, waiting.

"I know you're there..." She murmured when the presence didn't come forth, and she pushed herself to her feet, looking directly at the shadows to her left.

"Your pristine silver hair can't really hide under the light of the moon, Sesshoumaru."

The Taiyoukai stepped forwards, and she crossed her arms over her chest while giving him a steady gaze.

"Not like the Lord of the West to spy upon his guests..." She commented dryly when he remained silent.

"This One...was not spying!"

"Sure, sure. If that's the explanation that helps you sleep at night, then by all means, stick by it!"

She watched with mild amusement as his eyebrow twitched ever so slightly before she walked over to him. She placed herself next to him and copied his stiff stance, staring up at the night sky in false defiance. She was hard tested to not smirk when she caught his glare through the corner of her eye.

"There is no need for you to keep watch over me, Sesshoumaru. I can protect myself if a situation should arise. I might not have my full strength back just yet, but I can still provide a nasty burn." She eased her tense pose and arched an eyebrow as she turned her head to him fully.

To her great surprise she found his face on her level and his lips on hers. His strong hands cupped her face, thus keeping her from withdrawing from him. Her left fist weakly pounded against his chest in some form of protest at first, but then changed its mind and her fingers clenched into the silken garment instead.

It was a dominant kiss, he was the one in complete control and she could only follow his lead. She felt the tip of his tongue against her lower lip and she allowed the deepening of the kiss, finding some hidden strength to battle his tongue with her own as they held on to eachother. The touch of lips grew less needy, became more sensual, seductive, needy.

Both felt the dangerous effects, the electric chills down their spines which spread out fo their limbs, the raging pulse, the growing need and the hollow ache only one thing could soothe.

Kishino's eyes shot open and she leaned away, gazing up into the golden orbs that glared back with obsessive want shining in their depths. Right then her stubborn and independent mind wanted nothing more than be owned. Her human curiosity wondering what it'd be like, to let him stake the claim his inner beast demanded.

"Not here, not now, Sesshoumaru..." She whispered, though the hesitation in her voice betrayed her - she did not want to stop, not really.

"You let him touch you." He growled under his breath, burying his nose in her neck.

"It was a hug between friends." She understood that he referred to Kiru Akila.

"Friends can become more they aren't careful..." She shuddered at the warm breath against her neck.

"Aren't WE friends?" She replied in a more playful tone, finding the need to hold on to him more tightly when what sounded like a short chuckle emitted from him.

"Are we?" He answered her question with another, brushing the tip of his nose against the skin right behind her ear, relishing in the way she shivered.

"Well if we are, then we aren't being very careful..." Kishino muttered hoarsely, and Sesshoumaru flashed a smirk, sharp fang glinting over the edge of his lower lip.

The Inu Lord dug one of his clawed hands into the hair at the base of her skull - combing his fingers through the ebony locks then clenching them and so keeping her in a locked grip. She didn't gasp, didn't show fear - she was curious. She surprised and amazed him, puzzled him, intrigued him, drew him in with her confusing behaviour. She enraged him, irritated him, annoyed him beyond measure. She was so unlike females of the court, unlike youkai females, unlike human females.

"Do you wish for This One to be careful?" He growled, tugging her head back lightly so her throat was bared to him.

"Not really." She replied quickly.

"But...um...Inuyasha..." she tapped Sesshoumaru's shoulder lightly to bring him back from the moment.

In the distance they heard Inuyasha call for Kishino to get her arse back to get some rest if she knew what was best for her...

If dogs could curse...then Kishino's ears would surely be bleeding at this point.

So once again they parted, both probably more confused, more torn up, more emotionally unstable than before. But like Kishino had stated: not the time, not the place. Would it ever be? Neither dared think about it, as these were untested waters, uncharted territory, inevitable devastation of them both. This was simply unheard of. Unrealistic. A terrible idea!

Sesshoumaru found no rest that night. He would have claimed her had she not had wits enough about her to hear Inuyasha's call. This was not the first time his half-brother had gotten in the way of something he desired for his own...

* * *

~~~O~~~

"Kirara..." Kishino slinked out of the shadows and approached the small cat-creature. The cute neko mewed sorrowfully at her and leapt up onto her shoulder, putting her cheek against Kishino's. She had not returned to Edo with Miroku. Kirara had mourned Sango in her own way, by distancing herself from the others as grief was a very individual emotion and she had needed privacy. It had not been easy for Kishino to track her down. It had taken her nearly a full day to locate and pinpoint the neko's aura.

"I need a small favour, I know it's probably not a very good time, but..." The blackclad priest frowned, nuzzling the youkai cat quickly before the cat leapt off her shoulder and blazed into her battle-form.

Kishino ran her hands over the strong back, up to the shoulders, then let one arm lightly rest over the firecat's neck.

"I need you to..." She whispered into the sensitive ear, and as the favour was described to her the fire-cat nodded, purring deeply, understanding what she was being told. Though she was considered an animal-youkai, she was not stupid. Kishino had a reason for asking her this favour. She leapt into the air and disappeared, with Kishino disappearing back into the shadows on the ground below - confident that Kirara was up for the task.

She hadn't taken more than a few steps through the shadowed area before she felt a hand on her arm from behind. Without hesitation she grabbed it tightly, hauled it over her shoulder, and with summoned force threw the poor someone over her head. The heavy thump from a body effectively killed the silence, and the sound of a metal blade being drawn shortly followed.

"Shit, K'gome, what did ya do that for!?"

"Inuyasha..." Kishino narrowed her eyes even further and glared daggers at the hanyou in front of her while the tip of her katana rested a mere millimetres from his throat.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked, in an exasperated tone, and swiftly sheathed her katana. Damnit, why was he outside at this hour? He had taken to following her around, and it was starting to become rather bothersome. She could see his ears flick back and forth - he was thinking about an answer that would result in him getting back inside in one piece.

"I saw ya leavin' the castle. Thought I'd follow, make sure ya were alright..." He finally explained, getting to his feet and brushing himself off.

"Ya shouldn't be out alone in the middle of the night, y'know..." He held out a hand to her to escort her inside, offering her a warm smile.

"Says the hanyou who just got thrown over a weak human's shoulder..." She crossed her arms over her chest instead of taking his hand, and the smile on his face faltered.

"'s not what I meant!" He grunted, his brows knitting together deeply at her behaviour.

"I don't care, to be honest, Inuyasha." Kishino shrugged her shoulders and tilted her head slightly to the side. He opened his mouth to respond, but she beat him to it:

"I don't need your protection, I don't WANT your protection - why is this so hard for you to understand?" She knew she came across as incredibly cold and insensitive to him, but she had to make this perfectly clear to him. She could see the hurt flash in his golden eyes - and she did regret that she was the one to hurt him like that.

"Cuz I swore to protect ya!" He almost yelled, though in a hushed tone. He was bristling - the woman was being unreasonably stubborn! Why wouldn't she just accept his protection like before?!

"...that was an old promise - worn out, and broken too many times to really mean anything anymore. The night I died on the cliffs was the night I no longer needed your protection."

There was a frush of clothes as he moved, using his youkai speed to reach her before she could react. His arms wrapped around her tightly then, and she wheezed and pushed against his chest. Oh fudge off!

"I love you, Kagome!" He whispered into her hair - using his most vulnerable tone, one he had often used (though not with those words in the game) to get her to side with him or forgive him in the past.

Perhaps, once upon a time, those very words were the words she'd have wanted to hear more than anything - they'd have made her insides flutter, her heart beat faster and louder, her eyes would've teared up, and she'd have been completely swept off her feet by this declaration of devotion. But that was...over two decades ago. She blinked against his haori, casting a glance up at the dark sky above. He was trying to manipulate her feelings, she got that much...She sensed from his aura that he was confident in his choice of words.

"You loved Kikyou, then the memory of Kikyou. Now you love the memory of Kagome, but I am not her anymore!"

Kishino finally managed to ground out those words rather calmly, though between clenched teeth - and her reiki spread through her arms, giving her strength enough to break his tight embrace so she could step away.

"I fear you don't know the true meaning of love, Inuyasha. It's always eluded you. You know infatuation, possessive infatuation - and you believe it is love."

His eyes showed pain and disbelief, but she did not let it get to her.

"Inuyasha, I do say this with all the care I can possibly manage right now: You need to grow up!"

"You loved me once!" Inuyasha whispered, fists clenching at his sides. He refused to believe her words! She had loved him once! He could make her love him again!

"It was a child's love, Inuyasha..." Kishino murmured in return, her harsh expression softening slightly at the image of the dejected hanyou in front of her.

"I can never love you in the romantic sense of the word. I pray you remember that in the future. Do not attempt to play my feelings for you, for I feel nothing."

He took a step away from her, and she didn't stop him.

"You need to look to the future. You should be out finding a mate of your own, a mate to protect, and mate to build a life with!"

The look he gave her then made her inwardly groan. Did anything she say actually register with him? She turned and walked back to the Castle. She had the feeling she would have to physically beat it into his thick skull one day. Perhaps she could engrave it into his skin...

* * *

~~~O~~~

The small crowd, counting Shippou, Rin, Kiru Akila and Entu, did not know how to react. You could cut through the tension with a knife and serve slices of it on a plate.

They had once again gathered out in the garden, sharing sliced fruit and tea since it was a beautiful day. Inuyasha had been incredibly attentive towards Kishino, handed her fruits and poured her tea - looks had been exchanged between the others more than once as Inuyasha's affections kept being brushed off by Kishino.

Inuyasha had apparently not taken Kishino's words to heart, and in a moment of desperation he had attempted to kiss her - to 'make her realize' her old feelings for him. His lips had touched air, however, for the woman in question was gone that very blink. A thundering growl shook the ground, and everyone turned their heads to see the silver Inu Taiyoukai stand a good ten meters away from the group with one arm tightly wrapped around Kishino's waist, and his sword directly pointed at his younger half brother.

"This One believes the female has told you 'no' several times, halfbreed!" Sesshoumaru let Kishino go when she tapped his shoulder, and she took a stance next to the Lord.

"Keh, you take HIS protection!?" Inuyasha snarled at the blackclad shape, who simply...shrugged.

"I accepted his assistance, not protection. Do I need protection from you, Inuyasha?" Kishino quirked an eyebrow slightly when her words hit the hanyou like a physical slap.

"N-no! Never! I'd never hurt ya, Kagome! I love you!"

Sesshoumaru growled again, and Kishino gave the Taiyoukai an unimpressed look.

"You will back the hell down as well, big guy!" She hissed, and the impressive youkai blinked his eyes before he turned his head to look at her. The crowd held their breath. No one talked to the Lord like that and lived! Well, obviously Kishino could - but surely she would not get away with it this time!?

However, Kishino saw what the others didn't; the amusement which glittered in the gold irises - and she was hard tested not to allow a smile onto her lips. To the rest it appeared to be simply a battle of wills, a standoff if you will.

"Oi, Kagome! Ya choosin' the overgrown bastard over me?!" Inuyasha called in an irritated tone.

"Oh for the LOVE of..." Kishino's aura flared with poorly contained anger and she threw her hands up into the air then walked off while muttering several curses under her breath. Sesshoumaru gave Inuyasha a warning stare.

"This One will not accept your disrespectful behaviour towards an honoured Guest to the House of the Moon. One more time, halfbreed, and This One will make sure you feel the painful consequences."

With that he left.

Kiru Akila was the first to erupt into a chuckle. It earned him an amused grin from Shippou, a flabbergasted look from Entu, and an enraged and insulted glare from Inuyasha.

"Entu, I believe you and I should go find your Lord and see if we can calm her down."

The rat was quick to get to his feet, gently taking the eagle's hand and helping him stand.

"I think I saw what way My Lord went, Akila-sama, I'll escort you." The rat youkai bowed his head to Shippou and Rin, then lead the exiled Eagle Lord by the hand in the direction of the flaring aura.

Shippou rested his chin in his hand, watching Inuyasha calmly. Rin felt sorry for the hanyou - she understood he had a hard time letting go of the past, but even she could see that this was unhealthy.

"Don't make her hate you, Inuyasha. She still thinks of you as a friend, but you're ruining it. Why can't you be content with just having her friendship? Isn't that the most amazing thing in the world?" The fox raised an eyebrow ever so slightly when she hanyou's jaw clenched stubbornly.

"Shippou is right, Inuyasha. There is a fine line between tolerance and indifference...once it reaches indifference...she'll not even be your friend anymore." Rin's soft voice made the silverhaired man raise his gaze to her. He opened his mouth to form a reply, but noticed that both Rin and Shippou were staring at the sky.

"Is that Kirara? Someone's riding on her back!" Rin got to her feet with the assistance of her mate, and both began making their way towards where the firecat was about to land. Curiosity made Inuyasha forget his earlier anger and embarrassment, triggering him to rise as well and follow the two others. Who had Kirara brought to the Western Castle?

* * *

~~~O~~~

 **A.N.: I know this chapter doesn't 'flow' the same way as the other chapters - this is the result of my bulk-writing and piecing together material in a way that almost makes sense. I will make the next chapters smoother, or I'll try my best to anyway XD**


	23. Unknown Facts

**Disclaimer:** _ **I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

~~~O~~~

 **A.N.:** **Has anyone noticed that some cups and mugs have gigantic holes in them? Yeah, right at the top! No wonder the coffee disappears so quickly! That is my everyday struggle, guys, I swear!**

~~~O~~~

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE - Unknown Facts**

* * *

~~O~~~

Shippou, Rin and Inuyasha quickly joined Kiru Akila and Entu, and their eyes fell on the two shapes Kirara had brought to the Western Castle. The woman was the first to catch their eyes, especially Inuyasha's. Otherworldly, would be the world to describe her; Shimmering white hair hanging freely down to her lower back like an expensive silk cape, flawless skin, and piercing emerald eyes. She wore a simple but tasteful kimono made from a silvery garment, tied together with an emerald green obi around her slender waist.

"Who is that?" Inuyasha whispered to Shippou, who in return raised his shoulders. He did not know.

Next to her towered a buff male, clearly bear youkai, with dark brown hair tied back at the nape of his neck. He had a strong masculine face, broad shoulders, his torso hidden behind a golden metallic chestplate with the crest of the East painted on it, and black flowy trousers tucked into leather boots.

"Sinna and Karon!" Entu grinned widely, tugging on Kiru Akila's arm causing the eagle to smile as well. He thought he'd recognized the auras.

"Thank you, Kirara, for bringing them." The priest bowed her head to the firecat, who mewed and transformed back into her smaller and more convenient form then leaving to find something to drink. The quick flight had been tiring.

"My Lord Suiko sends his regards, Kishino-sama." Karon frowned as he looked around the immediate area.

"It seems no Lords nor Lands are safe..."

"So it may seem, Karon - and this is why I decided to call upon you...I..."

"Who the heck did ya drag in this time?!"

Kishino ground her teeth before turning her head to glance at Inuyasha.

"Friends!" She answered coolly and turned back to the guests, barely having time to open her arms for the inevitable hug from the white cat.

"Sinna!"

The youkai female purred, glancing up at the slightly taller priest.

"I had to come!" She cooed and combed her elegant fingers through the shoulderlength raven locks of the 'human' priest.

"Oi, why's the cat touchin' ya like that!?"

Kishino sweatdropped when Sinna's emerald eyes shifted to the irate hanyou in the background, and a wicked smirk crossed the beautiful woman's features before she promptly pulled Kishino's head down, using his hair as leverage, so she could give him a proper 'hello' kiss.

Kishino attempted to pull back, but Sinna's youkai strength and tight grip on her hair made her thing better of it. Oh, she'd definitely need to have a proper talk with the cat, again, about this kind of invasion of personal space.

However.

The burning aura of Inuyasha seemed to deflate immediately at the sight, so when she finally managed to push Sinna away, with stormy blue orbs locking with green - all she could do was mouth the words 'we'll talk, later' to the sneaky feline, who flashed her brightest smile in return.

Karon cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his head, but Kishino was actually grinning now. She turned to her friends and put her arms around her two friends from the Eastern Lands.

"Shippou, Rin...Inuyasha...these are good friends from the Eastern Lands. Karon-sama, Lord Suiko's General, and Sinna-sama, Lord Suiko's Healer. I asked them here to aid in the protection of the Western Lands as I will shortly prepare to head off to the South."

Shippou eyed the white cat suspiciously, his three tails still bristling slightly after the feline's display of affection towards Kishino.

"Sinna, Karon...this is Shippou-sama, the Heir to the West - and his mate Rin, Lord Sesshoumaru's Ward. And that is Inuyasha, half-brother to the Lord of the West. Entu and Kiru Akila you already know."

Karon and Sinna bowed their heads respectfully as the introductions were made, and Entu lead the eagle over to them.

"Oh, Akila-sama, you look alot better! I can see your strength has returned more since your departure from the East!" Sinna gushed at the Eagle, who inclined his head slightly, and before he really could object, the healer in Sinna went straight to work in examining the exiled Lord's humanoid form.

"Ain't no way in hell I'm lettin' ya go off on your own to the South!" Inuyasha muttered, stomping over in his still somewhat aggravated manner. Kishino arched an eyebrow at her past travelling companion - he thought she needed his permission?

"Kishino...could I have a word with ya, away from the crowd?" Inuyasha muttered, shifting his eyes to stare away from the cat. Keh!

Sinna flicked her eyebrows and gave Kishino a smug cat-ish grin before she grabbed Karon, Entu and Kiru Akila and stepped over to Shippou and Rin to get acquainted. Kishino moved off to the side with the hanyou, whose aura was spiking again due to working himself up to say what he had to say.

"What's up, Inuyasha?" Kishino crossed her arms over her chest, adopted a relaxed pose, and eyed her old friend carefully once they were outside hearing-distance. He was visibly fidgeting now.

"The cat, she kissed ya."

"Yes, she is a very affectionate youkai and she seems to have taken a liking to me."

"Why didn't ya push her away?"

"Should I have?"

"Well...she's...and you're..." Inuyasha gestured at Kishino, then pointed to the cat in the distance.

"I could kiss you like that, too, if you gave me the chance!" He then blurted out, blushing furiously right after uttering those words, knowing fully well how that would sound to the other part - and Kishino's felt a vein throb.

"Inuyasha...I happen to LIKE Sinna, ok!?" The hanyou's lips sealed shut and his eyes widened a comical amount - and hadn't she known that it was physically impossible to swallow ones own tongue, she'd say that's what Inuyasha just had done. He had NOT expected to hear that, and she saw the direction his mind went.

"Of course I don't like her in the way YOU think I do, but I like her. She is a friend, and though I've known her a short time, I know I can rely on her and I trust her."

She held his gaze firmly, seeing the flickers of emotions in his golden eyes. She uncrossed her arms then, and placed her hands firmly on the hanyou's arms, giving the upper arms a firm squeeze.

"I will never again feel what I once felt for you. Look at me!" She moved to grab one of his ears to make sure she had his full attention.

"I hope I can keep you as a friend, Inuyasha, because we HAVE been through hell and high waters in the past..."

She hesitated, still keeping her eyes on his. She could see how much he wished he could shut his sensitive hearing off, he didn't want to hear what she had to say.

"...but you have to let the past lie, Inuyasha. This has been repeated to you far too many times already, it's getting tedious to repeat it! The past is the past! It's the present that matters, and from the present springs the future. If we build our future while wishing it was the past, then there really is no future."

The white puppy ears had drooped while she spoke, even the one she was gently pinching between her thumb and index finger. Inuyasha finally cast his eyes down. He knew she'd told him many times, shouted it at him as well - the others had, too, but he hadn't listened, he'd refused to see the truth as it hurt too much. She had kept telling him, but...he'd been so confident he could change her mind - clinging to the memories, just like she'd said. The inu hanyou felt his world and reality unravel in front of him, only kept together by the key fragment that was Kishino. She rubbed his ear comfortingly, and his breath hitched slightly.

"Life is an ever-changing experience, Inuyasha, nothing stays the same for long, and things don't always go the way you want them to. The key to survive is to adapt, learn from the past, but don't let the past hold you back! You're stronger than this. You're not a child anymore."

"But I lo..."

"Inuyasha!"

He cringed slightly at the chilly tone in her voice - then he exhaled deeply as he met her steel cold gaze, then he lowered his head further. She wasn't going to accept his feelings. There really was nothing there... She'd released his ear by now, but instead of relief he felt it like another loss. He inhaled shakily as the painful truth washed over him. His chest felt heavy when it finally began to sink in properly.

His Kikyou, his Kagome - both had moved on - one to death, the other to a different life. His old friends and companions aged and soon they would leave him too. Shippou had moved on, everyone had moved on...

"I don't want to be left behind..." He whispered, and Kishino flinched visibly. Was that the reason why he so desperately held on to the past?

Her arms changed positions and instead pulled the hanyou into a gentle embrace, wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders, and he returned it with his face buried against her shoulder. He clung to her; his lifeline, his sanity, his comfort - his friend. When had SHE become the older and wiser? When had be become the child? He who had lived centuries...

"No one is left behind..." She whispered into a soft puppy ear while stroking his head in a motherly gesture. She felt the pained aura, and though she really didn't wish such a pain upon him, it was his wake-up call. He needed to feel it to see things differently.

"Change is scary, Inuyasha. I know this, so I can relate, but change is necessary in order to move forwards."

"When did you become so wise and old?" She heard his muffled half-hearted chuckle against her shoulder and she managed a small smile of her own. Ah, old was she?

"That is a good question, I guess that over the years I've gained all the smarts YOU should've had."

"Oi!"

"Heh. Yeah I'm old for a human, I suppose I've reached the stage where experiences of old and life itself starts to develop into what's called wisdom...or whatever. So, what of it, then? Wanna try this all over?" She took a step back, releasing him and sliding a finger under his chin to lift his face. Their eyes met, and she offered him a small smile.

"Friends, comrades, buddies, pals?" She tilted her head and held out her other hand to him.

The white-haired inu hanyou blinked a couple of times, his ears flicked back and forth before he then quickly cast a glance over his shoulder - as if the past was right there looking back at him. And perhaps he saw the ghost of Kikyou gesturing at him to move ahead, perhaps her old self was there to wave at him and cheer him on, she didn't know, but when he looked back at her she saw that glimmer in his eyes, the old Inuyasha-confidense and that self-assured nod.

"I can do that!" He took her hand and they shook on it, both now grinning at eachother.

"But if that cat kisses you again..."

"Then I'll kindly tell her about this inu-hanyou I know, who sorely needs someone to kiss, I get it!"

"Why you...!"

Kishino smirked cheekily before she ducked away from his playfully jabbing hand then turned tail and legged it back towards the group with a sputtering Inuyasha hot on her heels.

* * *

~~~O~~~

The evening meal was remarkably pleasant despite the mixed participants around the table. Sesshoumaru had welcomed both Sinna and Karon to his home, appreciative of their offer to aid them. Though one would think the Mighty Lord of the West was above accepting help from anyone, he was not stupid. They had lost many from the court, among them many healers, and guards.

It had not escaped the Western Lord's notice that Kishino was preparing to leave again - so Karon was a most welcome detail to the protection of his lands in her absence.

Sesshoumaru was not quite sure what to make of Sinna - yes he was aware that the castle now was in a severe lack of healers with powers potent enough to be of greater use - so he guessed the cat would serve a good purpose here while Kishino was gone.

The more troubling thoughts swirling in the Lord's mind was of what would happen once this mission was completed, when the dangers to these lands had been eradicated. He had absolutely no idea what Kishino would choose to do. He would not be presumptuous and think she'd stay here at the Western Castle as a healer - she had obligations elsewhere, didn't she? To the Seal youkai-clan... It was unsettling to discover that the idea didn't sit well with him.

"Who is that?" Entu piped through the chatter, and all eyes were drawn to the doorway.

"Miko." Kiru Akila stated, causing the cat and bear to cast him a surprised glance before their eyes once again returned to the shape in the doorway. She wore miko-garbs - only the hakamas were of a dark blue. The hair was neatly tied back with a blue ribbon at the nape of her neck. Her facial traits seemed familiar to those who had not seen her before, and her beauty could not be denied despite her human heritage.

She had an air of power around her, pure and bright it filled the room, though none felt threatened by it. Her blue eyes gazed calmly at each and every one of them.

"I am the Shikon Miko. Though this is not the shape I prefer anymore, it is still a part of who I am to this day. I thought it beneficial for you all to witness my original form." The Miko spoke gently.

"K-Kishino?!" Sinna gasped, and the Miko inclined her head with a small smile.

"That is the name I go by these days, yes."

"But you're..." The cat stammered, her face paling slightly.

"I did tell you, Sinna. I could not reciprocate your feelings. I am who I am, and I am complicated..."

Sesshoumaru was at her side then, offering her a hand to show her to her place by the table and she took it without fear and was soon seated on his right by the table. He felt oddly proud that she'd chosen to show the rest who she was instead of keeping it a secret, she had that strength of character, confident in herself no matter what.

"You are the Shikon Miko? The same that was present at the Meeting of Lords many moons ago? How can you also be Kishino Hito?" Karon inquired, arching an eyebrow slightly.

Kishino hid a smirk behind a hand and managed to maintain a stern face.

"Does it matter in the grand scheme of things what gender I was given at birth? I am still Kishino Hito."

"Well, it's..." the bear fell silent when Inuyasha of all people cleared his throat.

"Oi, listen up! I will be the first to admit I've underestimated her power in the past, and I've not done any better over the past months either, but this 'woman' is the sole reason why any of us are alive to this day! Yeah so ya know her as somethin' else and I get it's a shock - but Ka...Kishino was never meant to follow guidelines or norms. She works outside all that shit, alright?!"

The rest simply stared at him with big eyes.

"Whut?!" He grunted and shoved food into his mouth, making a big point out of chewing loudly. He had felt somewhat obligated to defend Kagome, AND Kishino's choices. That's what friends did, after all!

"I don't think I've heard you speak so many intelligent words in one go before, Inuyasha." Shippou leered at the hanyou, who merely huffed indignantly in response to that.

Karon and Sinna exchanged looks, neither knowing just what to feel or think about it at the moment - it had kinda been sprung upon them without warning.

"Excuse me..." Sinna whispered, rising from her seat and bowing to Sesshoumaru before she hurried out of the dining hall.

Kishino began to rise to follow her, but Inuyasha beat her to it.

"I'll chase the cat like the dog I am, Kags. I'll talk to'er for ya..." He muttered, and Kishino, baffled, nodded.

"I'll say, mama, you know how to surprise people - human and youkai alike." Shippou chuckled softly, a look of pure affection towards the miko in his emerald eyes.

"Mama?" Karon now gazed, stupefied, between the Heir to the West and the priest-turned-miko.

"Hn." Shippou nodded, still smiling.

"Over twenty years ago, when the quest to defeat Naraku began, Kishino and Inuyasha came upon This Shippou. This One was still a child and the Thunder Brothers had killed This One's parents. They saved This One, and helped This One avenge them. Kishino became This Shippou's substitute mother, and she is, still, to this day."

Kishino had leaned slightly sideways during Shippou'd explanation and she snickered to herself. She'd discovered by chance, out of the corner of her eye, that one of Shippou's tails twitched ever so slightly whenever he had to speak formally and refer to himself in third person. Now he couldn't tease her for her shrugging anymore!

"You are truly a remarkable person, Kishino-sama..." Karon mused, bringing Kishino back to the conversation at hand. On cue, she shrugged her shoulders.

"Forgive me if you believe I've mislead you, Karon-sama, but as I do consider you both good friends I thought it would be best if I was forthcoming with my past identity instead of attempting to hide it from you here within this circle of people who all know my past."

The bear gave the miko an unreadable look, before he inclined his head slightly. Though his mind struggled to wrap around these new pieces of information, and to come to terms with who Kishino was truly, he could see her reasoning, in a way.

* * *

~~~O~~~

Meanwhile Inuyasha had found Sinna. She was sitting just outside in one of the smaller gardens.

"Sulkin' like a typical cat, eh?" he taunted, but the emerald gaze merely told him to shut up, so he sat down, arms and legs crossed.

"I don't know what to make of it..." the feline admitted quietly, tucking her knees up to her chin. Inuyasha kept silent for once, recognizing a pause when he was served one. She was not done talking.

"Kishino saved my life, saved so many lives, and despite his humanity I felt...like...I could've chosen him!"

"Ya ain't the first youkai to wanna grab a hold of Kishino and make'er your own...there's been many youkai in the past to try...back then her heart was set on me, so she rejected every attempt to gain her affections..."

"Had I known she was a woman..." Sinna hissed slightly then, but once realizing her words, she was quick to gain a regretful expression on her face right after.

"It wouldn't have mattered. Attraction happens between those of the same gender as well, so it doesn't lie there..."

Sinna had been told that Kishino couldn't reciprocate her feelings, and she'd genuinely thought it was because he was a priest and had been sworn to celibacy or something strange like that - as humans do...

"As a healer I should've known she was a female...I feel foolish..."

Inuyasha chuckled darkly and shook his head.

"Look, cat. I kinda know a thing or two 'bout liking someone and then learn they're different from what ya imagined they'd be. Been there done that. It's tough, but it ain't really the other person's fault either..."

The feline youkai glanced over at the hanyou then, with a slight tilt of her head while her sharp eyes studied him thoughtfully.

"She loved you once? What was it like?"

Now it was Inuyasha's turn to look regretful, and Sinna knew better than to prod the subject. The hanyou clearly didn't want to talk about it, she could see the fresh hurt in his eyes.

* * *

~~~O~~~

Inside the dining-hall Kishino was sipping her tea calmly while Karon was looking quite upset.

"I, Karon, will NOT spar with a woman!"

"That is too bad, Karon, because I do firmly believe I could kick your ass." Kishino put her tea down and smiled brightly at the bear, who sputtered indignantly.

"You'd have taken the invitation for a spar had you not known my true gender."

"Well ya kicked MY arse for sure, Kishino. Several times from mornin' till past lunch-time!" Inuyasha called as he entered the room again, followed by Sinna.

"Well certainly you did not know she was a woman when she beat you?!" Karon tilted his head with a heavy frown on his brows.

"That I did not, but I'm sure she'd kick my ass again if given the chance."

"Why, Inuyasha, are you offering?" A wicked smirk flashed across Kishino's features and the hanyou's ears flicked back against his skull and he instantly avoided her gaze.

"Noooo..." He elongated his reply, and Shippou burst out laughing.

"Oh, someone HAS to spar with Kishino now!" He taunted.

"Why don't ya do it then, ya runt?!" Inuyasha snapped, causing Sinna, Entu and Karon to gasp. THe hanyou dared speak in such a tone to the Heir to the West?

"Hey, I'm still recovering my strength after having suffered the toxins of our new enemies, plus I've recently become a father, so I'd like to be in one piece to help my mate care for our child." Shippou retorted cheekily.

"...keh!"

"This One will see you in the dojo, Kishino-sama. At dawn." Sesshoumaru interrupted in a cold tone, and without further explanation he was gone.

While Karon and Sinna blinked at eachother, Entu translated the expressions on everyone's faces to the eagle - and Kiru Akila chuckled along with Shippou.

"Keh! Why'd the prick offer ta spar with ya, Kishino?" Inuyasha's eyebrows knitted together, casting an almost upset look at his old friend.

Kishino smirked wickedly at the ones still sitting around the table as she lifted her cup of tea to her lips.

"Because he's the only one here, obviously, who can kick MY ass."

The silence was palpable, Inuyasha's ears twitched, Shippou and Rin tried desperately to hold back their laughter, Karon looked utterly shocked, Sinna stared with big eyes, and Entu's jaw had dropped to his chest. Kiru Akila was the first to laugh, loudly and heartily, when the odd silence continued.

"Tomorrow morning will be entertaining!"

* * *

~~~O~~~

Sinna stood next to Rin in the early morning, waiting inside the dojo for Kishino to show up. Shippou and Inuyasha had decided to have a quick spar as warm up before the main attractions appeared. The white cat youkai carefully watched the look of admiration on Rin's face, before her emerald eyes fell onto the bundle safely wrapped up in Rin's arms.

"You know Kishino well?" The youkai female asked gently, and Rin's attention was drawn to the healer from the East. The human woman's features lit up in a breathtaking smile.

"I know her from my childhood, Sinna-sama! She was a motherly figure despite her young age, warm, welcoming, she played with me and Shippou, treated us with respect, she protected us, made us feel better when we were sick, healed us. It broke our hearts when she perished twenty years ago. And now she's come back to us - maybe not as the woman we remember, but as Kishino Hito - a much stronger version, both mentally and physically."

Rin talked merrily away as she always did, and Sinna couldn't help but feel warmed by the younger woman's enthusiastic affection for Kishino.

A heavy hand landed on Rin's shoulder and a face nuzzled affectionately into the brownhaired woman's cheek.

"You speak fondly of me even though I only met you sporadically when my pack crossed paths with Sesshoumaru's..." Kishino's deeper, more masculine voice sounded, and Rin squealed happily, turning to the blackclad priest and quickly passed the baby over to her.

"Kishino!" Rin beamed brightly at her childhood-heroine.

"Those meetings and all moments spent with you have been with me always and were imprinted in my memories for all times to come!"

Kishino smirked and rocked the little hanyou baby carefully in her arms, gazing down at the little face with adoration.

"Morning, Kagome..." She whispered, kissing the baby's brow before carefully passing her back to her mother.

"Sinna!" Kishino smiled, nodding her head at the ethereal whitehaired female youkai.

"Kishino..." Sinna returned the smile carefully. How could this person possibly be the miko from last night? The pose, the outfit, the face! The angled jaw, the focused gaze, the poise, the build! There was nothing feminine there!

The jet black locks were tied up, much like Kohaku had kept his once back in the days - and while this would not register with Sinna, Rin noticed. The human female, the mate of Kishino's adopted son, reached a hand up to Kishino's face to cup the cheek gently in her palm.

Rin felt no sadness upon noticing the striking likeness, and while her thumb ran gingerly across the cheekbone, she called back fond memories. Kishino had suddenly become a way to remember the young slayer. The ravenhaired human offered Rin a puzzled glance, but the chocolate-haired woman shook her head. No matter. It was nothing.

The priest's right hand rested on the hilt of her katana which was strapped to her left hip. Her keen eyes scanned the dojo, acknowledging the sparring males before she threw a quick smile at the females.

"Excuse me..." Kishino moved off to the side, to where Entu and Kiru Akila was seated. She loosened her katana and passed it to Entu. The rat scrambled at first, but then clenched it in his hands, staring up at his Lord with big eyes, confused as to why he was given the sword.

"Keep hold of this. If I use my reiki, it'll have enough power to repel it and prevent damage to come to you."

"Forgive me, My Lord..." Entu stammered, now given the reason as to why he was given it to hold, stared up at the person in black.

"But...would it not be wiser to give it to the women?"

"Hn, noble thought, Entu, but Shippou's aura will protect them if they do wish to remain here and watch."

The rat nodded and Kishino grinned cheekily before stepping towards the middle, arms rising up above her head to stretch the muscles before continuing on to a series of inhuman stretches to make sure she was loose and nimble.

"How does she do that? I didn't know she could do that! Can humans do that?" Inuyasha whispered to Shippou, who arched an eyebrow and gave no answer as he had none.

"Human physique suggests they shouldn't be able to..." Sinna cut in as the males joined the females by the edge of the dojo.

"Mama's not just any human..." Shippou put his arms protectively around Rin and baby Kagome, his green eyes on Kishino.

Karon joined them at this time, and he blinked his eyes slowly at the recognizable male dressed in black. He was intrigued, he had to admit. He knew Kishino was powerful, but somehow his view on her strength had changed when he learned she was a woman. He did feel slightly guilty about that, for he did respect the priest..miko..whatever she was!

Once Kishino had warmed up, she took a casual stance - only rolling her shoulders lightly as a finishing touch. The onlookers felt the anticipation like vibrations in the air - Kishino looked focused, like she was waiting - but Sesshoumaru hadn't arrived yet.

Then out of the blue Kishino flung her arms up, with a glittering golden shield projecting from her lower arms to block the swipe of lethal acidic claws. Sesshoumaru slid to a stop a good few feet away, and prepared another attack. The battle was on. Karon and Sinna looked at eachother in alarm, neither of them had seen nor sensed Sesshoumaru approach - but Kishino had.

Leaping up into the air like a wild hare, Kishino elegantly avoided the snap of the acid whip which would've sliced her feet right off by the ancles. A booted foot struck her hip midair, sending her flying across the dojo - and the crowd watching gasped, the females barely withholding their shrieks as the human warrior impacted with the ground at the other side of the open area.

Entu was intently whispering to Kiru Akila everything that happened, and though he could not see, Kiru Akila was obviously keenly listening to Entu, envisioning it in his mind with help from the sounds from the sparring.

Kishino, however, stood easily after the unfriendly flight, and brushed herself off quickly before dashing towards the stoic Lord whom merely watched her approach. The blackclad human struck upwards with her left fist, but sidestepped within a heartbeat, anticipating the Lord's move to dodge and hit his chest with the heel of her right hand - the built up force of the blow forced the Inu Taiyoukai back several feet.

Golden eyes locked with stormy blue, both arching an eyebrow at the other, mimicking eachother's arrogant expression. Both were trying to calculate the other's move, read the other's nonexistent expression, and unrevealing bodylanguage - and so for a few seconds they remained unmoving.

A small hiss slid past Kishino's lips when Sesshoumaru struck like a lightningbolt out of a clear sky. She barely had time to curve her spine backwards, feeling his claws briefly against her right jawline. Her feet kicked off and she swung her hips up, locking her legs around his upper arm and disturbing his balance enough to throw him to the floor. She then attempted to shift her own body to be able to move away in time for his retaliating move, but alas... One of his arms caught her ancle and she fell face flat onto the floor, and he was on her the next second.

Before he could fully pin her, she rolled to her back, slinked and got her knees tucked up to her chest so the soles of her boots pushed off against his chest. This wasn't at all about pushing HIM away - rather, it was all about pushing herself away, and she had enough momentum from his movements to provide an escape of nearly twelve feet, and the few seconds she had gain was used wisely, namely get air into her lungs.

Both were on their feet again, and this time a series of blows and dodging were served, neither getting the upper hand properly, which was impressive enough. Kishino blocked, ducked, rolled, slid and leapt out of the way from many possibly harmful jabs the Lord threw at her, he gave her no time to counter. It soon became very clear that Sesshoumaru was the one with the greatest advantage when it came to the long run; his youkai endurance and stamina far more superior than that of any human-born creature.

Kishino, however, made a marvellous job of avoiding being maimed and slashed, which had become her main focus; avoid accidental death.

"She's lasted longer than you ever have, Inuyasha!" Shippou smirked, receiving only a huff of irritation from the hanyou. He knew that, already! Why did everyone have to rub it in his face?

It didn't take long after Shippou had said this that Kishino was flying through the air, again, with a white blur following without mercy - the Taiyoukai had her pinned on the floor with his lethal claws tightly pressed against her throat, lethal fangs bared in a vicious sneer. Kishino grit her teeth and wheezed after impacting with the floor, derived of air properly thanks to the claws against her throat. She returned the snarl, willing her reiki to the surface - which, in turn, coaxed the massive youki of the Lord to be unleashed in response to the threat her reiki posed.

Karon grabbed the white cat's arm to prevent her from interrupting the fight. The battle wasn't quite over yet - the physical fight yes, but their powers - reiki and youki - raged a battle that quickly moved the very air inside the dojo. It became highly uncomfortable staying within the premices of the dojo.

Shippou was the first to evacuate the area with Rin and their child. Entu and Kiru Akila followed shortly after with Karon and Sinna in tow. Even with the protection of the katana, the air seemed unbreathable.

"What is she made of!?" Entu wheezed once they got a good distance away from the dojo where the air was easier to breathe.

"Five parts guts, six parts stubbornness, three parts hardheadedness, three parts insanity..." Inuyasha muttered sarcastically, knowing it had been a rhetorical question from the rat.

Sinna, at this point, hid a smile behind the sleeve of her kimono.

* * *

~~~O~~~

Kishino gazed up at the victor, who now held her life in his claws, literally. She could feel the tiny pricks of his claws against her throat, and she flicked her eyebrows up at him - not taking the threat to her life too seriously. He could've killed her on far too many occasions in the past to do it now.

"Well I think I held up pretty well!" She mused cheerfully, grinning wickedly up at the Lord.

"Hn. For a human." Came the arrogant reply, and she was tempted to snort in his face, but due to the delicate situation in regards to his grip on her throat she refrained from doing anything else than merely slightly raise her shoulders in a light shrug.

"Weapons next time?" She then suggested, and to her greatest astonishment his mask cracked, and a smile graced his lips.

Kishino couldn't do anything to keep her heart from skipping a beat. His features completely transformed with the smile! He was already beautiful, but now he was positively otherwordly gorgeous! And it hurt... Knowing that he could make her heart beat like that again, it hurt.

"Let me up." She grunted, pushing her hands against his chest, desperate to get distance between them.

"Surrender first." He wasn't about to let her go that easily and she gave him an impatient glare - however he was not phased. He had caught on to the subtle changes in her scent when he smiled. She had enjoyed it. He had heard her heart race. He affected her. And that knowledge in itself was...intoxicating!

"You won this sparring-match, Sesshoumaru, now let me up!"

"Surrender." He coaxed patiently.

"Really? I mean; REALLY? You want the full 'bare my throat at you' ordeal?"

"This One fully expects you to, and do add a whimper as you do it!"

"You arrogant, pompous, spoiled, egocentric, stuck-up, narcissistic, self-absorbed...son of a bitch!"

"Hn. Though This One finds it highly endearing when you use canine terms, I would suggest you refrain from dragging This One's mother into the current setting."

"...that...was not..."

Kishino sighed heavily - then tilted her head as much as she was able, baring her throat to him.

"I will not whimper."

"Perhaps not now..." The Taiyoukai released her throat, proceeding to lean down and catching her completely off guard by dragging his tongue across the sensitive and vulnerable skin. He was on his feet the next moment, feeling quite smug at the sight of her expression of pure astonishment. Was that a faint blush he spotted across her cheeks? Oh, how divine!

"This Sesshoumaru has matters to attend the rest of the day."

"...yeah, me too..." Kishino jumped to her feet and they parted ways.

* * *

~~~O~~~

"Sinna, I have a favour to ask you..." Kishino approached the cat after the sparring in the dojo. Droplets of sweat still glistened on her brows, her cheeks streaked where the trickles had run down towards her jawline through dust and grime.

"Yes?" The cat replied carefully, not sure how to behave around the blackclad person at the moment. She was so very confused about her feelings for the human she hadn't known for very long, but who still had managed to capture her interest so thoroughly.

Kishino slumped unceremoniously down on the stone bench next to the youkai female, arms thrown over the back of it and legs stretched out infront of her. She groaned quietly, she was beginning to feel the bruises! She wriggled her toes inside the boots, grimacing by wrinkling her nose and pulling a dissatisfied grimace at the discomfort she felt creep through her muscles.

She heard Sinna scoff a small giggle, and she turned her head fully towards the cat, arching an eyebrow slightly in a questioning manner. What...

"You could never pass for a lady." Sinna mused mirthfully, and to that the human leaned her head back and laughed.

"My goodness, Sinna! I shall never be a Lady!"

"Hmm. Your favour?" Sinna's smile faded and she turned her torso slightly so she could view this confusing character better.

"You know how to read, right?" Kishino had not tipped her head back up after laughing, and so stared at the cat from a backwards-tilted, slightly sideways angle.

"Of course."

"Could I ask you to infiltrate Sesshoumaru-sama's library, and seek out any scrolls that mention dark mikos and their spells?"

The white car shifted uncomfortably after Kishino voiced her request, and the ravenhaired female slowly pulled her head back up and frowned at the other's expression.

"It's not for me personally!" She hurried to reassure the other - realizing what went through Sinna's mind.

"It's for Kiru Akila, I promise! See, I've learned that it was a dark miko who cast a spell that stole his eyesight from him, one powerful enough that not even he, as a Taiyoukai, has been able to fight or cure with his youki..."

The emerald green eyes dilated slightly. That's what had happened to the former Eagle Lord? Oh! That poor bird!

"That is horrible! That is cruel and heartless! It's common knowledge that most avian youkai rely strongly on their eyesight! Without it they are helpless!"

"Exactly! The plot to overthrow Kiru Akila as Lord was well thought through. Someone really wanted him gone, and once he was blinded he would be deemed unfit to rule his lands and sere as protector of his kind..."

"Kishino..." Sinna smiled now, and the miko-turned-priest blinked.

"You're still the same."

Kishino smiled back then, and inclined her head in gratitude.

"Anything you can find, Sinna. Dark mikos, their magic, their spells - especially if you can find those who revolve around sealing someone's sight behind a veil of blindness. And while you're in there, could you see if there are ANY mentions of the Eagle Clan of the Western Shores? Sesshoumaru-sama has mentioned scrolls about the Seal youkai, so I thought that since the Eagles has had an ongoing conflict with the seals for, say, thousands of years, there might be a mention of them?"

"Leave it to me, Kishino." Sinna assured her friend with a small smile.

"I take it you are leaving?"

"That, I am. Though the Western Lands were recently attacked, I cannot linger. I need to go South. And with you here to aid the few healers that are left, I am certain this place will be secure. And with Karon's strength and expertise..."

"I understand, Kishino. You were wise in bringing us here."

"I hope the Eastern Lands aren't worse off for it..." Kishino added as an afterthought.

"Not at all. Lord Suiko called upon his subject from around the Eastern Lands to help rebuild, and strengthen the Eastern Castle, and safeguard its inhabitants. There were many potent healers there, as well as strength in numbers and body..."

"Keep an eye on Inuyasha, Entu and Kiru Akila for me?"

"Of course!"

* * *

~~~O~~~

Kishino tested the material in her new hakamas while having a short moment of privacy in her chambers. She breathed and slid one foot forwards and one back until she reached the floor in a split. The fabric didn't feel restrictive - which was good. She put both hands on the floor to support her weight and shifted into the wide split, looking around herself to assess the garment once more. She was pleased. The legs weren't AS flowy as normal, so the proportions and stitching was very important. She didn't trust the material unless she bought it herself, and these had been a gift from Sinna.

The hakamas weren't black for once. They were a dark slate grey. She rolled back slightly and got both legs in front of her, tucking both knees up slightly to begin lacing and lacing her boots up. Once done she tucked the bottom of her hakamas into the boots and straightened her back.

"Have you heard of knocking before entering, or is that below you?" A black brow rose slightly as she raised her gaze to Sesshoumaru.

"At least announce your arrival..." she muttered when he remained unresponsive, his face turned to the side and eyes closed.

Kishino looked down herself and uttered a puff of air. Oh for crying out loud...

"Get over it!" She growled at Sesshoumaru, and went to the futon to grab her bindings. So much for privacy in PRIVATE chambers!

"You are possibly the most indecent creature This One has encountered!"

"Well, had you KNOCKED before entering, I'd have told you to wait!" Kishino barked over her shoulder, holding the linens to her chest.

"Hn..."

The air grew silent, with only the gentle frush of silken cloth sounding when Sesshoumaru moved over to her. He kept being drawn to her - she held so much mystery, so many contradictions within one being...

The Inu Taiyoukai carefully, hesitantly, put one hand on the small of her back, marvelling at the warmth and the smooth texture of her skin under his palm.

"So many scars..." He muttered silently while his golden eyes mapped out the details of her strong back. Muscular, but not bulky; sinewy, lean, athletic, healthy. Several pale markings, scars, cris-crossed the span of her back. There was the four parallel clawmarks on her shoulder - which he had learned was from a time she'd accidentally walked in on a mating seal-couple, and a few more spanning both sides of her spine.

"Does it offend you?" She replied to his comment about scars, in an equally quiet tone as the one he had used.

"It...fascinates This Sesshoumaru. Your self-healing abilities are formidable, so why have you allowed so many to mar your skin?"

His golden eyes took in the details of the scars. At the small of her back where he kept his palm was a long, thin yet ragged scar running horizontally, from a blade most likely. Several just like that one, except shorter, danced across the entire span of her back, interrupted only by a select few larger scars.

"This..." He let his hand travel upwards to the right side of her spine, just below her shoulderblade. It was a jagged scar, but not from claws.

"Spear." She chuckled darkly, and Sesshoumaru tilted his head slightly at the tone in her voice.

"How is that amusing?"

"Because that's my only self-inflicted wound. Long story short; I fell and impaled myself on a spear. I kept it because it's too stupid..."

Golden eyes then travelled to the left of her spine...and brows drew together in a deep frown as he let his clawed fingers trace the circular scar which he felt like he knew the cause of.

"The arrow..." he heard her mutter quietly, confirming his initial trail of thought.

"This is its exit wound." He stated, and she nodded.

Sesshoumaru shifted, keeping his sharp eyes focused on the scar, remembering that night twenty years ago. He imagined the scene, envisioned the angle of the arrow, then turned her around to face him. She kept the linens in front of herself, but not because she felt shy or embarrassed - she as above that, as he had learned. Instead she showed him the scar from the entrance wound created by her own arrow, right above her left breast, near her sternum. He stared. How had she not died from this fatal wound?

"I guess I have two self-inflicted wounds, not just one..." she managed a somewhat sarcastic smirk at that and he scoffed lightly.

"You took the arrow in This Sesshoumaru's stead."

"Well, I kinda had to." Her shoulders rose in a shrug.

"You did not!"

"Yes...I did!" She was quick to settle that with a determined tone and it brought his sharp gaze up to lock with her darkening blue eyes.

"No one else could sense the projectile, not until it actually struck me! Up until four months ago, we didn't even know who shot it! Heck *I* didn't even know until I bloody fired the actual projectile myself! To know back then that the arrow was shot through a rift in time, from what would've been the future back then... You know how impossible that sounds, right? It IS impossible!"

She pushed his hand away and traced the scar herself while the smallest of smiles ghosted across her lips.

"I did not allow my powers to heal it, because it's part of my story. It's the beginning of my story after Naraku. And hey, come now, no one else can truly say that they shot themselves in the chest unintentionally with an a longbow and an arrow..."

He said nothing, but allowed the back of his hand to brush across her collarbone, and finally let his palm rest upon her shoulder. He had never laid hands on someone without the intent to cause damage or hurt before. Not for the simple wish to genuinely feel the texture of another person's skin, nor to offer any form of...comfort? Gratitude? Rin didn't count, she had been a child and he a father to her. This was an adult, a formidable one at that. A great foe to those who deserved her wrath - and an even greater ally if one had her friendship.

"This One wishes to keep you in his service. After this mission, for the future ahead." He chose to change the subject over to something entirely different than scars and personal history - removing his hand from her person.

She blinked up at him. Was he...?

"Wow, Sesshoumaru...are you offering me a permanent job?" She grinned mischievously at him, eyes glittering mirthfully. An elegant eyebrow arched ever so slightly in return.

"So it seems."

"Wait..." Kishino took a step back and turned around to quickly tie the linens around her torso with lightning speed and skill, then turned back to him as she adjusted the leather armour over the linens, tightening the ropes and tying the ends into a strong, but solvable knot.

"I won't live in the Castle..." She warned, proceeding to pull the black self-designed, multi-functional turtleneck-jumper down over her head and over the armour. An obi of a lighter hue of slate grey was quickly tied around her waist to finish up the dressing.

"I will require payment, but only enough to get by, I have no need for and nor do I crave riches."

Oh, she had thought it all out already, had she? Sesshoumaru inwardly smirked.

"And I want no interference in how I live my life outside my duty to the Western Castle. No one is to interrupt or disrupt any relationships I might choose to enter over the course of time."

"The first two terms will be met, Kishino. However...This One, as your Lord and Alpha, will have a say in whom you choose to engage in a 'relationship' with."

Her brows drew together in a deep frown, her mind processing that annoying fact. Pack rules? Damnit!

"I guess that rules out mating Yolu once the ten years of our deal ends..."

She met his firm gaze and found confirmation in the blazing golden hues. She exhaled and rubbed the back of her neck, casting her eyes up to the ceiling in slight frustration.

"I'll allow you to have a small say in it, but the final decision is mine." She looked back to Sesshoumaru, catching how his eyebrow twitched slightly. Hey, it was a compromise! Take it, already!

She smirked as she stepped up to the peeved Inu youkai and brushed her hand against his cheek.

"Don't look so sour, Sesshoumaru..." She cooed before leaning in and brushing her lips against his chin.

"I could've asked that in return I get to determine who you mate in the future!" She slipped past him and out the door before the Lord could make up a comeback.

Sesshoumaru clenched his fists at his sides. She really wasn't playing by his rules, that defiant creature!

* * *

~~~O~~~

Evening, again. Where did the days disappear off to?

Kishino had climbed to one of the highest rooftops of the Castle for some quiet-time and thorough thinking. She looked out at the landscape as the last rays of sunlight painted everything golden, and she couldn't help but exhale sentimentally at the magical view. No modern artwork, no matter how skilled an artist you were, could ever compete with nature itself. She loved taking in the details of the scenery around her for she knew that one day views like this would be scarce and fewer between.

She could see a great distance from her high perch, but her gaze kept trailing towards the south. The South. It sounded so final. She had sensed the ominous presence lingering when she'd arrived the Eastern Castle and she had absolutely no doubts she'd be encountering it again where she was headed. It made her heart thump hard within her chest, not in the good way. If she didn't play the cards right after entering the Southern territories she knew she would face her doom.

She needed a plan, that much was clear - she doubted that simply barging into the Southern Lands would be effective. She'd have to think up a plan A, plan B, plan C, D...AND a plan E! They were expecting the troublesome warrior-priest to make an appearance, for sure! Maybe they even expected to see the Lord Sesshoumaru - she would have to be extremely cautious. There would be no doubt be traps, ambushes, deception, mind-tricks - anything! She kept coming back to one disturbing thought; what was their true purpose of all this suffering? What did it all lead up to? And how could she get ahead of them?

She basically knew NOTHING. That was the truth. There were so many unknown facts within this entire puzzle! She did not know the reasoning behind these attacks, these murders, nor did she have the faintest clue about the background story. She had no leads, no names, only self-made conclusions from clues randomly collected throughout the lands.

No one had stepped up to make formal threats before the murders began, no one had stepped up to take credit for the slaughters, to state his or her intentions - no taunts, no direct confrontations, nothing! She rested her elbows on her knees and her chin on top of her intertwined fingers - a deeply troubled expression on her face. She had accepted missions before with less info provided, learned along the way and discovered new details as she'd progressed. Why did she feel so strongly about taking extreme precautions this time?

A soft grunt escaped her and she let herself fall onto her back on the roof, trying to find some answers in the few clouds up above. If there really was a hybrid like the one she feared...then she couldn't guarantee her own return to the West, and it annoyed her beyond measure! Ugh, Naraku had been easier to deal with than this one!

"What ails you?"

Her head dropped straight to her left, and she glared at the disturbance to her troubled peacefulness.

"The promise of tomorrow." She replied in a dismissive tone and turned her head back to look up at the sky.

To her great irritation, he would have none of her dismissing him - and so he sat down next to her.

"This One will have you leave by yourself this time." He spoke quietly, which surprised her to such an extent that she bolted back up into a sitting position.

"No following me, tailing me, stalking, or inviting yourself along?"

"Hn..." He closed his eyes, and she pondered his decision for a short moment.

* * *

~~~O~~~

Sesshoumaru had seen her climb up to the highest roof top to be alone. He'd left her to it, she appreciated solitude just as much as he did, it was not his place to interrupt or disrupt.

She would leave tomorrow. She'd start the final stretch of the mission - which also was the most dangerous one as far as they'd deduced. He knew she didn't really expect to return alive - just the thought of this sent his inner beast spiralling into a blazing rage. It wound him up every time he imagined a future without her presence in it.

He was aware of exactly what she needed to process in her mind, and he had his own mind to deal with. His ancestral home had been breached and attacked by the still nameless enemy. Though Sinna and Karon had been called upon to help protect the Castle, he had to remain here as Lord and provide further protection for his Lands. It was not an easy choice to make, for he had set out with her in the beginning fully intending to see this through to the end.

Besides, if the Southern Lands had been overtaken by this poisonous youkai, then it could easily be taken as a reason for War should a Lord trespass into Lands he was not welcomed into. Though the mastermind behind these foul actions was not recognized as a Lord, perhaps they saw themselves fit to rule.

He found that he had a great deal of faith in Kishino's strength and abilities - and he held no shadowing doubts that if she was to face that mastermind head on she would be victorious - but at what cost?

He hoped to himself she would not attempt to take the toxins into herself again, for he wouldn't be there to safeguard her while she recovered. IF she recovered.

Yes, he hoped. She had made him hope. He hoped she'd be careful. He hoped that she would return.

It was such an alien thing for him - to hope for someone's wellbeing and safe return, well, for someone other than Rin. He tried to reign in his wayward emotions, back into their icecold shelter, but it seemed impossible when it came to Kishino. He simply could not shut off his concern for her.

He glanced outside again and noticed it was growing dark. The sun had set. Her presence was still perched up on the rooftop and she was still troubled - from what he could sense. He would tell her of his decision to stay.

The Inu Lord leapt out of his office window and soared up to the rooftops, landing elegantly next to her. Her expression troubled him, many soldiers had that look when they walked into a battle they knew they wouldn't survive.

"What ails you?" He heard himself ask her.

In return she glared at him as if he'd insulted her.

"The promise of tomorrow." She clearly intended to dismiss him and continue her ponderings, but as he was Lord, and also her alpha - he would have nothing of that. He let his golden eyes rest on her troubled form, he brushed his aura against hers and her eyes shifted to glance at him through the corner of his eye as he sat down.

"This One will have you leave by yourself this time."

* * *

~~~O~~~

"What made you change your mind?" Kishino asked the silver Inu Youkai in a calm tone as they sat next to eachother, enjoying the first hours of night.

"Obligations to This Sesshoumaru's Lands."

"Sinna and Karon look after the Castle, as you return to your patrols..." she elaborated on his behalf, gaining a short 'hn' in return.

"Shippou has been prevented from patrolling recently."

"Yeah, he kinda has..." Kishino mused quietly with a small grimace, then glanced over at Sesshoumaru.

"You'll be alright here though, won't you?" She asked after some thought - his eyes widened a slight fraction at her question. She worried for him here in his own home? She doubted his capability of looking after himself?!

"With Inuyasha, I mean... And Karon, Sinna, Entu and Kiru Akila...there are many new faces here that I've brought without your consent beforehand. That's why I ask. Will YOU be alright?"

Sesshoumaru found her a curious creature, strange, unexplainable. She worried for him, genuinely - him as a whole, all sides of him - not doubting his strength or skill at all. This he read in her eyes, even though the blue evening sky had turned black. He reached his hand over to her, and tangled his elegant fingers into her ebony locks.

"What a peculiar lifeforce you are, Kishino Hito, former Shikon Miko." He mused, using her hair as leverage to pull her towards him. Surprisingly enough she did not resist. She let him guide her towards him and she put her head on his shoulder. He didn't wear his armour, so there was no risk of her harming herself on its sharp spikes.

"Thank you." She murmured, and Sesshoumaru allowed his right cheek to rest against the crown of her head.

"This Sesshoumaru will await your return."

"I don't know how long it'll take. Or even IF I will be able to return..."

"Hn. If you are not back when spring turns summer, This One will make the journey to the South."

"To make sure the monster is vanquished or vanquish it in my stead, right?"

He didn't respond right away, and she felt that unsettling flutter again when one of his hands grasped hers. She dared a glance up at his face, noticing that his eyes were intensely focused on her hand in his.

"If you do not come back on your own accord - then This Sesshoumaru will hunt you down and bring you back with whatever means available."

"So; kicking and screaming, or Tenseiga, huh?" she squeezed his hand and he locked his fingers securely around hers, and they both looked up at the dark sky and the stars in silence.

* * *

~~~O~~~

 **A.N.:** **Chapter 24 is being written as I post this, alright? It's coming along, and will probably be posted sometime later this month (not a promise, but a possibility!) I...miiiiiight have taken a side-step on the next chapter...a 'detour' if you must know, but it is a necessary evil, I promise!**

 **Summer is coming, and I desperately wish to go somewhere colder! I am not like normal people, I don't like summer-temperatures or bright sun! *hisses***  
 **It just struck me that this story has now been going for just about a year! Woooo! I am so proud!**  
 **THANK YOU ALL FOR READING! :)**

 **~Noctus**


	24. Detour and Winter to Spring

**Disclaimer:** _ **I do not own Inuyasha or its characters in any way or form, nor do I make a profit from this story. The story-plot, however, is mine.**_

~~~O~~~

 **A.N.:** **Yo, everyone! Thanks again for reading, and for all your support and comments! This story's become more than what I first had in mind when it was started a little over a year ago - and it's all thanks to you! You make me keep building and developing the story!**

 **I do see this alot in comments, and I am very aware of how "slow" things are moving in the "romance" section, but with an emotionally contsipated and incredibly stubborn Western Lord things in said romance-department will take time, I imagine. He'll get there, just you wait (more than you've already waited, I mean).**  
 **I initially wanted to write a story that doesn't just jump straight to the "I-love-you's" - that's not quite me. I am, unfortunately, FAR too cynical to believe it's that easy...sorry guys... XD**

 **I have so much more story I want to write before I surrender to the masses and "get them there!" - and as you might've guessed already; I have a soft spot for suspense ;)**

 **And hey, if you guys have any questions, send me a PM and I'll put up a Q &A next chapter(s) on Author's Note, and I'll provide answers as best I can without giving too much away :)**

 **And with that out of the way: go, go, read! :)**

 **~Noctus**

 **~~~O~~~**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR - Detour and Winter to Spring**

* * *

Kishino left for the south without prolonged goodbyes. Though Inuyasha had continued to argue against her going on her own, she was adamant that this last part of the journey was hers alone.

Days passed and turned into weeks. Weeks became months, and seasons changed. Winter passed and became spring without anyone hearing news of their friend.

* * *

~~~O~~~

The Village of Edo.

Kishino took in the sight of the village she'd once known like the back of her hand - the place she once had longed to return to whenever she was home in her own time. She could recall how much she'd missed the blue sky, the forests and hills, the trees, the fresh air...

The village had grown in size over the past twenty years. More huts had been added, which was natural, of course - she guessed that give or take a few more decades then the first foundations of her family's shrine would be built near the well. She couldn't for the life of her remember what year it had been built - she had to admit she hadn't fully paid attention to her grandfather's rants most of the time.

Sharp eyes immediately sought out the old hut which Kaede had inhabited, and she smiled slightly at the flood of returning memories. So many memories...

She sighed, having spent a short hour just sitting by the old Bone-Eaters Well. Its magic had long since faded, and was now nothing more than simply a dried up old well with a strong history. It had been her way home once, and though she knew there was no way to see her family again other than going the long way round, she still felt a little closer to her family in the future by just being near the well. A small comfort within the grim reality she currently lived in - but then again - she wouldn't trade this life. It was her life. Hers.

When she left the well there was one place she instantly sought out.

It didn't take very long to locate the recent grave made for Sango and she crouched down to place a bouquet of wildflowers on the ground. She exhaled a long breath and rested her right hand on the grave.

"Hey, it's me...I know, what a time to show up, huh?" She attempted a cocky smile, but ended up blinking back tears instead.

"I'm just here to say...I..I am so, SO sorry, Sango!" She sniffed quietly, quickly brushing the back of her hand under her nose before clearing her throat and casting her eyes up to the sky above.

"I pray you can forgive me for all the grief and pain I've caused you for so many years with my absence. I don't know how you did it...I honestly don't..."

A small blend of a chuckle and a sob escaped her, breath hitching despite her efforts to reign in her emotions.

"Just being reminded of the fact that you're no longer with us...it breaks my heart in so many ways!"

Kishino grit her teeth, lowering herself down to her knees and bowed her head all the way down so her forehead touched the ground and she got the fresh scent of grass and dirt in her nose.

"I miss you..." She whispered, her voice a barely audible whisper.

"I'm so sorry..." her voice broke completely then, and she couldn't hold back the tears any longer - they fell from her eyes into the grass, and for the longest time she remained like that; apologising to her heart's sister over and over again in her mind, overwhelmed by how the emotional pain manifested into agonising physical pain which rendered her unable to move. People from the village couldn't help but notice the black-clothed person by the graves, but none dared go near, to disturb someone grieving by a grave was simply not something one did.

Kishino felt a gentle hand on her shoulder after what felt like an eternity, but still she didn't move. The owner of said hand was no threat, rather a welcome warmth and comfort.

"Kagome?"

She shuddered upon hearing her name, before finally lifting her head from the ground, glancing up at the pained face of her old friend. Miroku. He joined her on the ground as she sat up, and Kishino drew one final hitching breath - feeling just as forlorn as she imagined she must look. The older monk shifted one of his arms around her shoulders and she shuffled closer. When his other hand rose to carefully wipe the remaining tears from her face she wrapped her arms around his waist and her head came to rest on his shoulder. No words needed. Not between them.

* * *

~~~O~~~

"You're sure?" She eyed the monk carefully, watching him for any hint of doubt. They sat inside the house he and Sango had built and shared. They had reminisced and Kishino had breached the subject of what she'd asked him back at the Western Castle.

"Absolutely, Kagome. I've decided."

Seeing nothing but acceptance and determination in the man's deep violet eyes, Kishino felt a sense of relief course through her entire body. He'd accepted! He wanted this!

She then cut into her left palm with a sharp blade without further questions and Miroku mirrored her action onto his right palm with a blade of his own. Their eyes locked before they put their bleeding palms together, interlocking their fingers in a tight grip and Kishino coiled a rosary of sacred beads around their joined, bleeding hands - then placed her right hand firmly on his left shoulder and he his left on her right shoulder.

"With my power, with my blood - I relieve you of your human mortality, I call upon you to be my brother and family." He voice sounded so strong, so demanding, yet soft like a whisper and as clear as a wind-chime at the same time.

She then used the same method she'd used when drawing the toxins from the corpse in the North, and from Lord Suiko in the East. With her powers she guided her own blood into Miroku through his wound, let it spread through his veins to nullify the mortality he as a human suffered - a way of purifying him.

Miroku's eyes were glued to their joined hands. He felt the intensity of the power she had. It was immense! He sensed in the air, he FELT it in her blood as it spread through his body. He could smell the raw reiki like the most fragrant scent, and see how the very air around them moved because of it.

It tickled, it left a softly burning, numbing sensation in his limbs, in his skin. He felt vulnerable, he felt empowered, he felt nothing, and yet everything. It was a confusing experience for the human monk born of this time and era, to feel his humanity escape him. How and when had she come across the knowledge to do this, and why? This was magic he had not believed existed. He had always known youkai could alter the lifespans of humans if mated to them - but this...was something else entirely.

Before he could break the silence with his questions he felt her blood recede from his and it gave him chills. He could feel how her blood extracted his very humanity from his being. The only way he could describe it to himself was to imagine it to be like pulling an earthworm slowly out of the ground...

He blinked his eyes slowly as his eyesight became blurry for a moment, but when he regained focus he saw Kagome's face gazing down at him with a slightly concerned look in her eyes.

"Finally, you're awake. You had me worried there for a second!" She offered him a smile when his confusion grew.

"You've been out cold for several hours. I'm sorry..."

"Don't apologise..." he heard himself reply, and instantly his hand shot to his throat. With eyes widening he slowly slid his hand up to feel his own face. His second hand quickly joined and he patted his fingers gingerly across his cheeks, his eyes, nose, eyebrows.

"H-how..." he whispered, shocked to find his youth restored.

"Age will not mark us, Miroku. You're only a couple of years older than me, right? And I've been the same for twenty years, except for the changes I've chosen to make myself. My theory is that my powers recognised our close to similar biological age, and rewinded the twenty years worth of ageing you've gone through to match me - since I claimed you as brother, I mean."

Miroku kept feeling his face while staring at the other with big, unbelieving eyes. He had accepted her offer to purify his humanity so neither of them would be alone - he had never in his wildest imagination thought he'd get to be young again. YOUNG!

While Kishino understood his reaction perfectly, she now knew she no longer could prolong her quest. She'd achieved what she'd made this detour for - she'd gained a companion whom she believed would be an essential asset to her in the upcoming journey.

"I hate to be abrupt, Miroku, but it's time we leave for the South." She narrowed her eyes and angled her jaw to fit her 'male' guise, watching him closely while waiting for his response. His eyes blinked a couple of time while his mind still tried to cope with the shock, but he seemed to have heard her, because he nodded and tried to push himself to his feet.

Kishino was quick on her feet and offered him a hand to help him stand. The monk swayed slightly, but remained on his feet, grasping Kishino's arm tightly. Then he laughed nervously, meeting the blue gaze of the other with sheer astonishment.

"Leave for the South?" He repeated slowly, and she nodded.

* * *

~~~O~~~

Two weeks later.

The two of them had decided to take a break near a small river. They were refilling their water-pouches and setting up camp for the night. They'd had to travel light, and sometimes very slow to avoid the increasing number of patrols by youkai. Kishino had no intentions of giving up any leads to their position to anyone, friend or foe. She could sense the dark presence in the far distance - it grew more and more on edge as the days passed. Good.

Secure and out of sight down in an abandoned fox-den, the two immortals warmed their hands on a small fire while sharing a small meal of roasted wild rabbit and dried berries.

"Kishino, may I ask you something?"

"Of course!"

"About you and Lord Sesshoumaru..."

Kishino stopped her chewing and turned her head to stare at her companion, but Miroku was quick to raise his hands and smile reassuringly at her.

"I might've been old and married for many years, but I recognise tension of 'that nature' between two individuals when I see it."

Kishino chewed the food in her mouth a few more times before swallowing, then leaned back against the earthy wall, folding her arms into her haori.

"I don't know what answer to give you Miroku. I guess I can't deny that I am attracted to him..." She shrugged lightly before noticing the telling gaze her friend gave her.

"Ok, so I might be in love with him!" She grumbled and the violet eyes of the other glittered victoriously at her admittance of her own emotions towards the stone cold Lord of the west.

"Don't give me that look! It's not gonna result in anything, alright?! I've pined for an inu of his bloodline in the past, I am NOT going down that road again! I'm gonna strive to keep it strictly professional with Sesshoumaru. I simply won't allow any emotions I might have to grow into something more!" she hissed, annoyed at how the cunning monk saw right through her.

Miroku, on the other hand, pondered her unwillingness to accept the possibility of love, or even welcome it. She had such a big heart, she shouldn't lock it away!

"Well..." he cleared his throat and leaned back as well, gazing up at the ceiling.

"Considering the amount of time you'll be walking these lands, are you really going to dismiss the chance of love or happiness?" He let his head tilt slightly so he partially was facing her.

"Forever is a very long time to regret chances one let slip between ones fingers thanks to stubbornness and fear of getting rejected."

Kishino heaved a heavy sigh and shoulders slumped a tiny fraction. She couldn't wrap her mind around the possibility of having a permanent someone (other than Tsuren) in her life after spending a decade depending only on herself and her own skills and knowledge in order to survive. It simply...was not going to happen.

* * *

~~~O~~~

"Won't your children worry for you when you're gone?" Kishino asked Miroku while they walked, having chosen to take a more scenic route through rough terrain rather than keep to the roads.

"Well, sure, they'll be concerned!" Miroku cast her a look through the corner of his eye, but he smiled despite the obvious fact that he would miss his family.

"...but they are grown, Kagome, with families and children of their own. Though I wasn't weak or in bad health, I imagine that in a few years time I'd become a burden upon them, requiring them to care for me."

Kishino threw a quick glance at him before nimbly jumping up a rocky part of the old path, turning to offer him her hand to help him up. He accepted her help and she pulled him up, and they stopped there for a moment, taking a small breather.

"I will miss them, Kishino. My heart will long for them, and ache without them - but if I should use your own words; they are children of this era - not meant to grasp or even fathom the changes I have undergone. Sango and I have taught them well, they are fully capable of leading good lives without us around."

Miroku, though saddened by the fact he's 'leaving his children behind', really did find solace in the fact that his children were strong and healthy adults, and he was confident in their capability to remain strong. Besides, they all would think he'd gone off to mourn his wife on his own - it was not unheard of that upon losing ones spouse, the one left behind often mourned themselves to death or left their home to seek their own end so they could be reunited with their beloved.

"You are my family now, Kagome." Miroku pulled Kishino in for a quick hug, then stepped back and placed both his hands on her shoulders, giving her a serious look.

"You are my sister. You are my brother. I've never had that before. Most importantly; you are my friend. Your friendship lead me to Sango, ended my curse, opened my eyes to so many things I would never have thought possible, leading up to having children of my own. So...if I can repay you by being your brother for the long future ahead - then you shall never hear me complain about making that choice."

A bright and genuine smile graced Kishino's features upon hearing the other's words, and she nodded gently.

"There's not really anything I can say to top that - but, thank you!" She murmured softly.

* * *

~~~O~~~

"What will we do when we get closer to the Lord of the South's Castle?"

"Hm...I haven't decided yet. For some reason I highly doubt that Lord Yamato of the Cranes is in control of his lands any more."

"You fear it's that bad?"

"Hn...if not worse."

Kishino shrugged and rubbed the back of her neck while exhaling slowly.

"They know that Kishino Hito will come - that's pretty much all I can say for sure about all this. Fortunately I've not given them a clear timeline as to when, seeing as I made a slight detour in getting you, AND I've stayed out of sight. I've prolonged my journey by a few weeks, throwing them off a little I hope, but they will be on the lookout for me."

"You are quite a recognisable figure, your reputation's spread far and wide."

"Well then I'll have to go for a bloody good disguise then won't I?" She smirked wickedly, and Miroku tilted his head. What DID she have in mind?

. . .

"This is not what I thought you meant..." Miroku glanced at the person next to him who was now dressed in an old monk's robe.

"Oh shush, I could pass for your father right now, show some respect!"

Miroku snorted a chuckle, hiding his grin behind his hand.

Kishino had gotten hold of some incredibly sticky tree-sap, and manipulated it long and well enough to create some form of adhesive substance - then she had cut an inch off her hair , smeared the self-made 'glue' onto her face, then stuck the hair to it - somehow making a fairly decent, natural-looking beard - which now covered the lower half of her face.

"You look hideous."

"Respect, whelp!" Kishino grumbled in her deeper octaves, trying to make it sound a little rougher than normal for the sake of it.

"Help me tie this linen around my eyes - the blue is too recognisable, I'm afraid."

"You did this purely so you could boss me around, didn't you? You're going to play old AND blind?"

"Of course, what other reasons might I have had than to boss you around? I'm gonna cut tiny holes right in front of my eyes so I can see where I'm going, though..."

They grinned mischievously at eachother before the journey continued, and in the far far distance they could glimpse the tall gates surrounding the Castle of Cranes.

Close to an hour later, they decided to have a rest and get off their feet. The pauses they did have were few and far between as they never really dared to stay in one place for long, even with Kishino's aura-hiding barriers.

"You aided Lord Yamato once before, didn't you? When black rat youkai from the mainland tried to invade?" Miroku tossed a slice of dried meat to Kishino then got one for himself. Food and water was kept in convenient satchels they both carried for the journey.

"Yeah, I did. It was about four moons after I set foot on land again; I ventured through the southern lands, and caught rumours of invading rogue youkai causing trouble for the residents in the area. Deciding to test my new identity and capability, I sought out the Lord and offered him my assistance. He was reluctant at first - too proud to accept the help from a mere human priest, but he gave me a chance to prove myself - and I don't think he regretted it."

"So Lord Yamato is basically one of the first to know Kishino Hito?"

"Hm, I guess."

"And you knew Lord Mousen from before as well, didn't you?"

"Yeah, guess I did. I defeated the dragon in the Northern Lands, in his territories, of course I ran into the Lord of the North."

"He sought you out?"

"No, I literally ran into him."

"You collided into the Northern Lord. How is that even possible?"

"I didn't see where I was running, neither did he. Since I had my aura and scent hidden he couldn't sense me coming until I, well, got in his way."

"How did that first meeting go?"

"About as well as most my first meetings with Lordly youkai's gone..." She smirked behind the fake beard and shrugged.

"Lord Mousen, I find, is one of the most open-minded of the Four Cardinal Lords..."

* * *

~~~O~~~

"Who's coming?" Kishino pushed extra air out of her lungs as she spoke to make her voice sound older, more wheezing, and leaned heavily on her battle-staff.

"Guards, it seems, Father..." Miroku played along as the younger male, his knack for acting surely hadn't faded.

"Are we threatened?" Kishino half wheezed, half hollered - causing Miroku to wince. Kami, she was good!

"No, Father, they are merely patrolling..."

"I can swing my staff if we need to defend ourselves, boy! Just point me in the right direction and I'll swing at'em!" To add to her claim, Kishino prodded with the tip staff into the empty space in front of her.

"...there is no fighting, Father!" Miroku sweatdropped and heaved a sigh at the 'antics' of the 'older male', and the patrolling guards had stopped not far from them. Black rat youkai, as Kishino had predicted.

"Who goes there?!" One of them demanded, and Miroku turned to them and smiled politely before bowing his head, making sure to give the 'older' monk a tug to get him to bow, too.

"Miroku, son of Haru Shin. This is my Father, Haru Shin" Miroku gestured to Kishino, who grumbled and bowed her head at the guards.

"Not too far down, Father, or you'll tip over again!" Miroku shot in, causing Kishino to freeze and mutter a rant about disrespectful youth.

The guards exchanged looks.

"Forgive us, sirs. My father and I are returning to our village after a trip to the Monastery for our annual soul-cleansing. My mother recently passed, and my father is...well... he is..." He cast a glance at Kishino, who had returned to prodding the air in front of her with the tip of the staff - and for the sake of it she had turned away from the guards to prove how 'blind' the old man was.

"You haven't seen a warrior-priest running around, have you?" the largest of the youkai asked gruffily, eyeing the odd pair of males, especially the elderly one who clearly had lost his mind.

"Why, when you mention it!" Miroku blinked, genuinely surprised.

"Father, the man we met a few days prior, didn't he say he was a warrior-priest?"

"Yes, yes, boy! Don't shout, my ears work just fine! Off to the Castle he was! Like that'll do him any good..." Kishino, as Haru Shin, responded grumpily.

Miroku frowned, looking back to the guard.

"Three miles west of here we saw him, but I cannot say for sure which direction he took from there."

The guards thanked them for their information, and let them be on their way, laughing among themselves as Miroku and the older man started a loud argument about what side of the trees the moss was growing... Humans.

"Haru Shin, really?" Kishino whispered, grinning through her fake beard.

"Hey, I could've named you worse!"

"Usually it's the father who names the son, not the other way around! Quick, talk about the moss!"

"Why do you insist on taking directions from mossy trees?"

"The moss grows on the southern side of the tree, it shows us the way home!"

"That theory has lead us astray before, Father! Besides, you cannot see the trees anymore!"

"Nonsense, boy! Southwards says the moss!"

"I hope my mentality does not dissolve like yours has, Father, when I reach your age!"

"Insolent child! My mind is brilliant! The moss points...but if a toad licks it, then it must be North! Fetch me a toad, boy!"

They kept up the improvised quarrel until Kishino deigned it safe to return to normal. She had to cast a strong barrier to prevent their roaring laughter from spreading throughout the patch of forest they currently were travelling through.

When they both managed to calm, Kishino placed a hand on Miroku's shoulder, the other was quick to place his on top of hers and give it a squeeze. Companions, friends, family.

"C'mon, Miroku, let's continue on. I want to at least get close to the Castle before winter sets in. There's many preparations to go through...think you can play this poor old senile man's son for a few weeks more?"

Miroku smiled boyishly at her.

"If you continue acting like you did just minutes ago, I'll be well entertained and have no problems with it!"

"Marvellous! Remind me later to figure out a better way to portray this beard - the current solution itches!"

* * *

~~~O~~~

"I really have missed travelling..." Miroku mused quietly one evening when they stopped for the night, watching the meat as it slowly roasted over the fire.

"I didn't know I had missed it, at all, until you dragged me along..."

Kishino looked up from her work, currently cutting and smoothing out the wooden shafts of new long and short arrows.

"In hindsight I do feel like I forced this upon you, selfishly..." she admitted slowly, going back to work on smoothing out the wood.

"Kagome...when have you ever been selfish?" the male replied exasperated.

"Every choice you make includes the wellbeing of others. Though you feel selfish in regards to myself, think nothing of it. I could've chosen to decline - but I didn't, so perhaps the selfish one is me, ne?"

The disguised Kishino blinked at the monk with big eyes. How could he turn that around to himself?

It was as if he read her mind, for he shrugged and leaned back against the tree-trunk.

"If there is a possibility that my Sango will reincarnate in your future, Kagome, then I will be there to find her."

"Sango could well be reincarnated as a man!" She snorted, which quickly turned Miroku's thoughtful expression into a shocked jaw-drop.

"C-could she?!"

"No idea."

"Kagome!"

"Hey! I'm no expert!"

"Out of the two of us, you are! You're the reincarnated one!"

"Touché..." Kishino shot Miroku a cheeky smile before shrugging her shoulders quickly. She gathered the now smooth and straight arrow shafts in her lap and rubbed her itchy chin. She really needed a better fake beard...

"Souls are genderless, I believe...there's no he or she among them. They simply are." Kishino mused, allowing her thoughts to center around the subject at hand.

"Souls do not decide which body they are destined to host in their next life. The genders of past lives and the gender's influence will have been washed away over the centuries it takes to be reincarnated...IF the soul is destined to be reincarnated that is..."

Kishino tapped her chin lightly with one of the arrows, then waved it in small circles in the air while thinking out loud.

"She could be reborn as my..." she flicked her brows at Miroku "...my grandfather! That could explain his excessive 'demon begone!' treatment, and also why his seals don't work. Ohhh imagine if I gave him a hiraikotsu!"

"You...are evil." Miroku groaned, but was soon laughing along with Kishino.

Though both still felt the gigantic loss of Sango like a big open wound, they kept her close to their hearts and fresh in their memories. It felt a little less painful when they were two in grieving and missing her, two who had loved her deeply - only in different ways.

"You'll find happiness again, Miroku. Heed my words!"

"How about yourself, Kagome? Have you thought about what we discussed days ago?"

Kishino shifted slightly in her seat and frowned.

"I'm...happy with the way things are."

"After the speech you gave Inuyasha, don't you think you should listen to your own words a little more closely?" The wise monk kept his dark violet eyes on her, and she had the decency to blush. Oh, crap... Yeah, she'd told Miroku about how she'd finally helped Inuyasha let go of the past. Talk about coming back to bite you in the butt!

"Change is scary, Kagome. But without change..." Miroku waved his hand in a circular motion, and she groaned.

"I hate eating my own words!"

"Well, you better get started on that, because there will be no more going back in time. Once the moments pass us by, we can't get them back."

"But, Miroku..."

"Kagome." The monk gave the miko-turned-priest one of his more serious glances, and she fell silent.

"Eat your words and make sure to swallow that pride of yours while you're at it! You may never know exactly what it is that you're passing up until you reach a point where you look back and regret not even trying! Here, have some rabbit for a side-dish, should make it taste slightly better."

"...and you call ME evil..."

"Hey, I am now your big brother, and it's my solemn duty to help you even when you are too blind to realise you need it."

"...thanks..."

"Anytime!"

* * *

~~~O~~~

"Spring's here already! Where the heck is she!?" Inuyasha bellowed, standing at the top of the wall surrounding the castle, keen yellow eyes scanning the surroundings - this had become a daily thing once the snow began to melt.

"Get down from there Inuyasha, or Sesshoumaru will kick you down like he's done the previous times. You're too noisy!"

Sinna tilted her head back to look up at the bristling hanyou, who in return cast a glance down at her before leaping down and landing by her side, offering a kiss to her cheek.

"I worry, y'know. What if she bit off more than she could chew this time, and I wasn't there to help her!?"

"Sweetheart, it's Kishino we're talking about..." The cat chuckled softly and reached up to rub one white puppy ear. Inuyasha begrudgingly leaned into the cat's gentle touch.

"But..."

"No buts, dog! Kishino will take the time she needs..."

Inuyasha sulked slightly, but the cat was quick to disperse his foul mood, as had become her speciality over the course of winter. She gave his shoulder a shove forceful enough to make him eat dirt, and she was soon dodging his attempts at retaliating while playfully taunting him in a good-mannered way.

From the stairs Entu watched the two whitehaired youkai play like the cat and dog they were. The rat had let his black hair grow out over the winter, and had it tied back in a ponytail at the back of his neck. As per usual, he was accompanied by the blind eagle. The two of them had become more or less inseparable and were always together - mostly because Entu had become the eagle's eyes, but one could not deny the obvious affection they held for eachother, even if they just were close friends.

Shippou and Rin enjoyed the time with their daughter - Rin had even started insisting on Sesshoumaru joining them for walks, which he did every now and again. The Lord of the West was secretly fond of the little fox hanyou - her spirit was strong though her life had barely begun. She'd do her name proud.

Sesshoumaru had not had much time to dwell on whether or not he actually missed Kishino. Sure, there were moments when his mind drifted, but never for long. He had been kept busy throughout the winter as there had been many attacks on the villages near the boarders of his lands by rogue youkai who thought the protection was gone. Rumours had spread fast of what had happened within the Castles, and so many thought the Lords weaker, the lands easier to overtake. Sesshoumaru proved them wrong. All of this t kept his mind occupied and his lands safe.

He had held two meetings with the other Lords in Kishino's absence. Lord Mousen of the North had not had any more Eagle-attacks, nor had Lord Suiko of the East - but there had been an increase of attacks by rogue youkai, as Sesshoumaru had experienced in his lands. This did not worry the Lords so much, as they were capable to fight them off - but the alarming thing was the species of youkai - black rats, from the mainland. AND, Lord Yamato of the South had show up to the meetings, which was worrisome. Perhaps the South was worse off than they first had feared...

Of course the news of the rogue youkai being black rats had made Entu on edge, afraid that if his kind found out he had switched sides they'd be out for his head, yet more afraid of his new friends feeling suspicious of him. Whenever he felt frightened the mark on his neck, the silver arrow, appeared - and it calmed him - for he knew he had chosen the right Lord. If anyone questioned his allegiance, the silver arrow would protect him. The vow he had spoken to Kishino on that day bound him to the priest - he could not go against his Lord, thus could not betray his Lord's allies.

And more days passed.

* * *

~~~O~~~

Kishino and Miroku had spent a lot of time, perhaps more time than they liked, to observe and to stay hidden. With Kishino's clever disguise and Miroku's charm and wit, they had sought temporary shelter in a small human fishing-village for the winter, not far from the Southern Castle. They kept to themselves for the most part, drawing no unwanted attention by blending in as best they could.

With help from sticky sap that she had worked into some kind of temporary glue and by cutting an inch off her hair she managed to uphold a fairly decent beard to cover her facial features. She'd quickly learned that smearing the sap directly on her skin hurt a LOT when she had to remove it, so she'd compromised and made a 'mask' from linen and used the adhesive sap to stick the hair onto that instead, and fixing it to the lower half of her face with thin leatherbands tied around her head to keep it in place. With help from Miroku, it soon looked believable enough.

The humans were fearful of the Castle and its new 'Lord'. They had asked a few questions in regards to the Castle, but never went into interrogations for answers as that could be suspicious. Neither of them trusted anyone around these parts. Something ominous was covering the Southern lands, there really was no doubt. It could be sensed in the air, felt in the biting winds, and though never found a time where they could let her guard down and rest properly. They always took turns in protecting their temporary home. Most nights Kishino was out and scouting the area around the Castle for ways in and to map out how many guards there possibly cold be, but there were nights where they stayed inside, discussing different plans in case things didn't go all too well. Best be prepared.

"What have you learned tonight?" Miroku asked after entering the small hut. Kishino turned her head, a small tired smile on her face. She pulled the long robes down over her head and sorted them out.

"They guard the walls like the paranoid rats they are. They've put more men by the walls over the past eight days. There's so many of them, Miroku - it'll be near impossible to get in unseen."

"So, not completely impossible?" Miroku put the small bag of rice down and straightened his back, moving over to the firepit to stir the embers and get the fire going so they wouldn't freeze. He'd been out to buy some rice for himself and his 'father'. Kishino had the whole village sympathising with Miroku for having to care for his obviously senile and delusional father.

"Oh, I'll get in there..." Kishino responded in a determined tone before grabbing the prosthetic beard and tying the black leather band that helped hold it up and in place around the back of her head. As she patted it into place over the lower half of her face she thought it through.

"There's a small corner near the back of the castle that seems less frequently patrolled. Whether it is a trap or if they just genuinely can't be bothered patrolling because they know it's an impossible way in I can't really tell. Either way, I'm not really planning on going OVER the wall, so they can guard it all they like. I found a small crevice that goes under the wall on the eastern side..."

She joined Miroku by the fire, sitting down in a graceful motion, rubbing her self-made beard thoughtfully. It was an incredibly simple contraption, black dyed linen sown together to cover the lower half of her face and the underside of her jaw and when she put it on it gave a nice impression of a full beard.

"We've stayed here for weeks now, Kishino. We need to make a move soon. Spring is creeping up on us."

"I know. The planning has been tedious."

Miroku put his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"We are ready, Kagome."

Blue eyes locked with violet, and she nodded. She knew they were. Over the course of the many weeks that had passed since their departure from Edo, Kishino had worked long hours to freshen up and strengthen the monk's spiritual powers. He had always been of a formidable power, but she'd guided him beyond; to tap into reserves he might not have been aware of. No longer did he rely on pieces of paper for ofudas, he could manifest them with his powers alone - and they were much more potent. His barriers were strong, and she'd taught him how to open his mind to play around with what he could do, and test it in various ways. His wind-tunnel might've been a curse once, but one couldn't deny its use in battle, so he had focused his training on trying to recreate a wind-tunnel made purely out of his spiritual power - one he could control fully, one that wouldn't swallow him whole if he left it open too long.

"Tonight, Miroku." Kishino muttered and rested her head on his shoulder, yawning widely before sputtering comically at the mass of 'beard' that she inhaled.

"Let's forget about routines for today and just catch up on some sleep. I'll cast the barriers..." Miroku playfully shoved the other's shoulder, watching with mirth how she willingly tipped over away from him and landed on the floor in a sideways sitting pose.

After casting several protective barriers around the hut, Miroku shifted to the floor, his back against Kishino's.

* * *

~~~O~~~

She knew their patrolling routines by now, so moving unnoticed wasn't a problem. She'd run everything by Miroku, so he knew what and who to look out for as they stealthed closer to the walls of their final goal.

Kishino and Miroku dashed between the trees, slowing their breath and upping their concentration. They simultaneously dove into some dense bushes and looked at where they'd come from. Ahead was the walls, heavily guarded, but they already knew that, so Kishino released the reiki she'd stored in one of her short arrows which she had planted in a tree further back, and it exploded.

"OVER THERE!" The nearby patrols and guards turned to where the burst of reiki had come from, their attention was focused on the blown up area. Perfect!

Course clear, for now. Kishino wrapped herself and Miroku within a barrier to hide their auras and scent completely as they sprung forwards out of the bushes and headed towards the Castle. No time to look back anymore. This was it. She knew their shifts on the walls from many weeks of watching - she had made many trips outside the village to scout out the area at night. She knew each of the patrolling guards by the way they walked and held themselves and she knew which ones were triggerhappy and who were more likely to not sound the alarm before they were absolutely positive they had to. Miroku trusted her and followed where she ran.

Weeks of observations, weeks of watching and learning, weeks of stealthing around the walls to scout out possible ways in. They pressed against the darkest shadows at the base of the walls, and from their hiding place in the shadows they could see the minions swarm out of the forest and back towards the Castle. They'd realised her decoy. Of course she'd foreseen that they'd now swarm to the castle, they'd guard the outside to keep her from getting in. There would be less focus on the actual inside - well, that was her theory, let's see if it was true...

Kishino grabbed Miroku's arm and they slid along the base of the wall until she found the two foot wide crack in the ground, a weakness in the soil which ran like a small crevice under the wall. She'd not dared go down there before, but she had noted its location.

Down there? His aura was uncertain as to whether or not he'd fit, but she hurried to reassure him they'd manage it.

She let him go first, then squeezed herself down into the hole in the ground. After some strange angled manoeuvres they finally got themselves underneath the strong stone walls.

This was a good time to take a breather, and they leaned their backs against the earthy walls. They glanced at eachother, both feeling the adrenaline starting to rush slightly. The dark presence felt so near, lacing the air so it almost became unbreathable. The stench of bile and rotting flesh made her insides churn, and Miroku's discomfort was even more visible - but he willed his upset stomach to keep its contents down, he simply could not indulge in the luxury of being sick now when there was so much at stake.

While they sat there in the hole under the wall Kishino caught herself wondering how things were going in the West. Did they think she'd failed, that she'd died? She HAD spent one winter already. How was Sesshoumaru faring? Inuyasha, how was he coping with not being able to follow her? Entu and Kiru Akila? Had Sinna gotten any clues from the library? Shippou, Rin and their baby, were they all well?

How was her family doing? The seals...Yolu, Mion, Tsuren... She blinked her eyes rapidly then. Oh, Tsuren, her cub - she missed him! She missed him so much it physically hurt! Her baby! Her poor child. She'd said she'd come for him! Did he think she'd abandoned him? Did he think he'd lost his mother all over again?

Biting back a soft groan of pain, Kishino managed to fight back the thoughts of friends and family, but she couldn't stop her breath from hitching slightly. Her mind was putting up a fight - lingering stubbornly on those she held dear, but she needed her logical mind and reasoning at the front and very much active. This was the point of no return. There was only one way to go, and that was forwards. Again she felt the comforting hand of her companion on her shoulder, and she grasped it tightly. He could sense where her thoughts had been, and helped reel her in and back to the imminent task at hand.

The dark-clothed silhouettes of the two 'intruders' shuffled further towards the other side of the thick stone wall, angling their necks so they could gaze out at the open area that lead to the grand stairs of the eerie Castle. Neither could get a good view of all the guards, but they DID sense them. Such an enormous number of youkai.

Suddenly, she heard yelling, and both ducked their heads with such speed one could almost think their heads had disappeared down between their shoulders.

"The blasted priest is NEAR! Guard every inch of the castle walls! Let no one enter! Not even our own!" One of the 'generals' called out and Kishino held her breath, exchanging a look with Miroku.

Every inch? She looked behind her at the small passage which ran under the wall. This might well be their only way out later, she'd be damned if the rats discovered it! So she snaked her way between roots and rocks to get back to the opening, poking her head up slightly to do a brief survey. The small bushes on either side would have to do, she decided.

She quickly grabbed the thin branches and pulled them over the hole, and used their own branches to keep them together. She wove them together, and used some fine rope she had conveniently at hand from the village to secure them. She then ducked back down and snaked her way back to the other side of the wall. She gestured to Miroku, who understood. Darkness and shadows had become their friends while travelling.

They needed to get out and get moving.

She'd never once seen anyone who could go for the 'Master' while she observed this place. It was clear that the Southern Lord's guards and nobles weren't present - so what had happened to them? Had they been killed? Held captive? She had a gut feeling that they should try to get into the dungeons below the castle first. She had a bad feeling that she'd find them there.

Her eyes flashed. Catacombs. They had to have catacombs, just like the other Castles, right? No Lord would have a Castle without catacombs and dungeons for prisoners! That should be her main goal, perhaps. Miroku's eyes sparkled when he sensed her aura against his, catching on to what she was thinking.

Finally there was a guard-swap - which gave them approximately a ten second window to move. Miroku looked up from the hole in the ground and quickly pulled himself up and out, scurrying to get as intimate with the stone walls as he could before Kishino joined him. She pulled herself out of the tight hiding-place by the base of the wall, and quickly scurried to her immediate right, and together they followed the wall where the light from the torches couldn't bust their cover.

 _So, have you achieved everything you wanted in your life so far?_

 _Well, yes! I'm living the holy-ninja/spy-life trying to save youkai and humans alike from evil, just like I always dreamed of as a little girl, thanks for asking!_

 _You know, when you grew up youkai were merely creatures of fairytales and folklore, that was before you ended up in this feudal era-timeline, of course, so you ARE basically living a fairytale!_

 _Touché, mind!_

Her mind was an interesting place sometimes, even in a situation such as this.

"Seen anything?" She heard someone speak up on the wall above and she quickly pressed herself against the stone surface, throwing her left arm out and slamming it into Miroku and pressing him against the wall as well.

"Nothing moves, General."

"Keep eyes and ears peeled, I want this priest stopped at all costs! The Master wants his corpse!"

Kishino narrowed her eyes. Should she just take the easy route and play dead and get to the Master like that...? Immediately she was overwhelmed by Miroku's scolding aura. Don't go there! She threw him a look and shrugged. Hey, it could've worked... No chance, he glared, and she smirked cheekily for a brief second.

She waited a few more minutes to make sure they'd moved from the spot on the wall directly above them, then she grabbed Miroku's hand tightly in hers and ran with him.

She was in luck, there was an open space ahead, a small area where the ground was decorated with flat stones and tiles, and a small, but elegantly decorated stone house near the wall.

 _Oh please, oh please, oh please, PLEASE be a mausoleum! ...or something akin to that! That would be SO handy!_

 _FOCUS!_

She surveyed the area, no one in sight, so she took a chance and darted across the open space to the small stone house. She rammed into the door with her left shoulder,, hoping to force it open, but ended up wheezing quietly as it didn't budge. Ow...

She had no time to feel sorry for herself or to really feel the pain, as a strong hand grabbed her shoulder and flung her away from the door. She instantly cast a soundproof barrier around the immediate area, landing on her feet in a crouching position.

"Kishino!" Miroku hissed, ready to help, but she pointed to the doors. Focus on those! She had this covered!

Plan A: If encountering youkai, make sure no one can hear the struggle! Finish it quickly!

Her stormy blue eyes locked on a female eagle youkai. With a small tilt of her head, Kishino blocked the first swipe at her chest, leaping up slightly to avoid her feet being knocked out from under her. She gathered some energy in her arms and put both hands together, ramming the heels of her hands into the attacking youkai's chest - thus sending the attacker stumbling several feet back with the breath knocked out of her. The surprise was evident in the sharp eyes, how could a human...

The eagle blinked and stared at Kishino, preparing another attack.

"I know they have your eggs!" Kishino hissed, and instantly the female youkai stopped her movements.

"How do you know!?" she responded with suspicion. Kishino nodded firmly before dashing forwards, grabbing the youkai and diving into the shadows. She pinned the youkai against the wall, shielding the other with her darker clothes, briefly taking note of Miroku working on how to get those doors open.

"I know they keep your eggs hostage to make you do as they command!" Kishino concentrated the soundproof barrier around them, and watched the hazel eyes of the other widen in fearful shock.

"But...how can you know?"

"I am very resourceful."

The female paled, and Kishino was convinced she'd faint. She kept pressing, however - knowing she had to convince THIS one first of all.

"I need to get inside. My brother and I are here to stop whoever is behind all this misery! I am not your enemy, trust me!"

"We can't trust anyone! Our eggs are too precious! What are your words worth!?" The female spat, bristling at the priest who managed to hold her in such a way she could not move.

"I am Kishino Hito! Hired by the Shikon Miko on behalf of the Four Cardinal Lords, to deal with the deaths of youkai caused by the toxins YOU and your kind has injected, and to send the suffering souls on to the next life!"

Kishino hissed her reply into the pointed ear of the youkai, and the pretty eagle gasped slightly from the revelation of the priest's identity. The priest!

"You know of me, good. I trust my reputation proceeds me, so you are aware of what I'm capable of." She watched the other closely for confirmation, and when the youkai nodded, Kishino exhaled slowly.

"I am not here to be an enemy to you - this I swear. I am here to end this nightmare."

She stared the other directly in the eye, and though it took some long minutes of intense staring, the youkai finally nodded.

"For some reason, I believe you, Hito-sama..." She replied, frowning deeply the next second.

"Where are your eggs being kept? Am I wrong in thinking..dungeons?"

"No, that is a correct guess. Were you headed down there?"

"I was, but the door didn't budge, as I'm sure you noticed..."

"After all these years..."

Kishino felt how the entire form of the eagle slumped and smelled the salt from tears. Unsure then, for a moment, at how to respond to the unexpected breakdown, Kishino placed both hands on the sobbing eagle's shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze.

"I know what the Master has made you do. I've tasted the toxins firsthand, so I know the pains, the horrors, and the sufferings of the victims. I have lived through its effects! I can stop the Master..." She didn't need to mention the little detail which by 'lived' she meant 'barely lived'.

She saw the tiny spark of hope in the depths of the female's eyes, and her brain did a tiny victory dance inside her skull (figuratively speaking). She'd gained the grain of trust she required. If she could make them hope, then she had their trust, because hope...was powerful. Especially here, especially now.

"All I need is way in...and any information you can spare..."

* * *

~~~O~~~

She hid her nose and mouth in the crook of her elbow. Decaying flesh was not a scent one got used to! And she'd smelled far too much of it in the past year...Miroku was faring far worse even with the 'mask' with herbs sown into it to distract from the putrid scents.

"The court of the South..." The eagle female, whose name was Surame, whispered. With her help, Kishino and Miroku had found the way into the catacombs beneath the Castle. They could scout for the priest outside the walls all they liked - but Kishino wasn't taking anything for granted, nor did she celebrate any victories before the battle actually had been fought and won.

She stared at the incredibly large pile of corpses in the middle of the great domed room, eyes wide at the horrific way the bodies had been disposed of.

"Kami..." Kishino found it almost too unbearable to watch.

In the other lands, the dead or dying had been placed respectfully across the floor, in separate beddings. These had been unceremoniously dumped, piled up, like garbage. She knew some had been there for a very long time, and some were more recent, so they hadn't all been murdered at the same time. The sadness she felt when she focused her gaze enough to see the forlorn souls was enough to almost make her sob out loud. So much pain!

"Hito-sama?" The eagle saw the pain on the priest's face, and for a moment felt a sense of wonder. Could a human with holy spiritual powers really feel sadness and pain at the demise of youkai?

"I need to stop this..." Kishino hissed through clenched teeth.

"How?" Surame whispered in a subdued tone, and Kishino shrugged.

"Somehow!"

"The Master is fearsome, Hito-sama. Not even the Eagle Lord has enough power to stand up to him!"

"The Eagle Lord is probably on the Master's side, so no wonder he's not standing up to him..." Kishino muttered darkly.

"How dare you!" Surame snapped angrily.

"Our Lord would never side with one so vile!"

"Your LORD had his own brother, the TRUE Lord, BLINDED by a dark miko, set up to be captured by the Lord of the East through false accusations, and imprisoned far below ground to rot!"

Surame became oddly silent then. How did the priest know such private eagle youkai history?

"I did not mention who my resource was, did I?" Kishino sneered, and Surame eyed her curiously.

"I found him, in the dungeons of the Eastern Castle. Kiru Akila, Lord of the Eagles!"

An intense shudder coursed through the entire length of Surame's body and she dropped to the ground with a small cry. That name had not been spoken since the day the old Lord had been named a traitor and his brother had taken his place as Lord. Kiru Akila. Lord of the Eagles. The name in itself had power, any eagle of his clan would recognise it.

"H-he lives?" The female eagle stuttered, putting her shaking hands over her face as the news sunk in.

"He lives. His strength returns more and more every day."

Surame seemed to be oblivious to her surroundings now, and the priest rolled her shoulders impatiently. Miroku, pale and in visible discomfort thanks to the odours in the tunnels, walked over at this point and lightly grasped the youkai's elbow and aiding her to her feet.

"Let's get your unhatched children to safety, then you will take your leave with the other Eagles."

"Leave?"

"Yes, leave! You have endured enough under the terror of this 'Master'. When your eggs are free, so are you. You will no longer be bound to remain here, nor bound to do his bidding."

Surame got to her feet and she grasped the monk's shoulders, gazing at him intently.

"Why are you doing all this!? For youkai!" She demanded quietly, and Miroku smiled gently then and pulled Kishino in for an awkward sideways hug.

"Because no one else can, Surame." The monk squeezed Kishino tightly until the other complained loudly, and it ended up with an elbow being jabbed into his side and so forcing him to let go.

Kishino straightened her back and sighed softly, running a hand roughly through her hair while gazing at the corpses with a faraway look in her eyes.

"Life is precious, life is a gift. Youkai, hanyou or human, animal or plant. We all have a role to play, as the Kami intended - even those as dark as the Toxic one. However, he has deemed himself worthy of denying life, to decide who lives and who dies. He has decided he is fit to rule supreme above all others. He is not Kami, it is not his call. There is no justified reason behind these atrocious acts..."

"You're a strange human..."

Kishino slumped slightly and Miroku chuckled merrily despite the situation, that phrase seemed to always pop up around the Warrior-Priest Kishino Hito.

~~~O~~~

* * *

 **A.N.: Wooooooooooo, I wanna sleep now! So! This chapter is a slight step to the side and then a quick skip forwards while leaning slightly to the right. Necessary for the story, believe me, I was getting to a point where I was literally writing in circles - so yeah, this had to be done! More drama in the next chapter - but that's not gonna be up until sometime in June...dunno when in June, but in June *nods* I've got a lot to work my mind around in the next chapter, so bare with me =)**


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